DETERMINE IF AND WHEN THE MITIGATION STRATEGIES NEED TO CHANGE IN THEIR AREAS.” ONE VERMONT ATHLETE IS CELEBRATING THE GIFT OF LIFE IN A UNIQUE WAY. .. AS SHE TRAINS TO SUMMIT E ON OF THE WORLD’S tallest PEAKS. NBC5’S KRYSTIN RAE HAS MORE ON HER JOURNEY that she hopes WILL INSPIRE OTHERS TO GIVE BACK. REBEKAH THOMAS DOESN’T LET BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES STOP SUNDAY MORNING RU NS <"I'VE BEEN TRAINING ON SOME OF OUR HIGH PEA, KS WHICH AREN'T VERY HIGH (SHE SMIR).KS"> IT WAS 2001 WHEN SHE RAN H ER FIRST MARATHON, E TH VERMONT CITY MARATHON. NOW- SHE’S PREPARING TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS <"A HUGE CHALLENGE WILL BE TH E ALTITUDE DIFFERENCE."> THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER STARTED MAKING BLOODONAD TIONS IN COLLEGE. IN 2019- SHE DONATED 65% OF HER LIVER. AN D IN 2020-A KIDN. EY SHE MADE HER DONATIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH MEDIC AL CENTER- THE SAME HOSPITAA L YOUNG STUDENT IF HERS RECEIVED A LIFE- SAVING DONATION YEARS AGO. <"IN THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC WHEN MOST THINGS WERE CANLLCEED, UPMC WASN I FULL FORCE DOING ORGAN TRANSPLANTS FOR LIVI NG DONORS, IM VERY GRATEFUL THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT."> NOW, SHE JOINS OVER 20 OTHER KIDNEY DONORS NATION WIDE- TRAINING TO SUMMIT TANZANIA’S MOUNT KILIMANJARO. AFRICA’S TALLEST PEAK. ON WORLD KIDNEY DAY MARCH 10T H. <"ONE OF THE REASONS WE' RE DOING THIS HIKE IS WE WANTO T SHOW PEOPLE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE WITH A NORMAL HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AFTER ORGAN DONATION. AND ORGAN DONATION DOESN'T LIMIT YOU WITH WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO."> THOMAS GIVES A GREAT THANK YOU TO RUN VMOERNT WHO HELPED H RERAISE FUNDS FOR THE SUMMIT WITH THEIR GET OUT AND GIVE BACK 5K IN JANUAR Y. <"I THINK FOR MOST OF US ON THE HIKE, ORGAN DONATI ON HAS CHANGED MOST OF OUR LIVES FOR THE BETTER, AND THE LIVES OF OUR RECIPIENTS FOR THE BETTER."> ANYONE INTERESTED IN DONATING TO KDA IS ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THEIR WEBSE IT MORE INFORMATION
Kidney donors to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in March
Rebekah Thomas doesn’t let below-freezing temperatures stop her Sunday morning runs.“I’ve been training on some of our high peaks, which aren’t very high,” she said.It was 2001 when she ran her first marathon, the Vermont City Marathon. Now, she’s preparing to reach new heights.“A huge challenge will be the altitude difference,” she said.The elementary school teacher started making blood donations in college. In 2019, she donated 65% of her liver and in 2020, a kidney. She made her donations at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the same hospital a young student of hers received a life-saving donation years ago.“In the height of the pandemic when most things were canceled, UPMC was in full force doing organ transplants for living donors, I’m very grateful they were able to do that,” she said.Now, she joins over 20 other kidney donors nationwide who are training to summit Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak, on world kidney day March 10.“One of the reasons we’re doing this hike is we want to show people that it’s possible to continue with a normal healthy lifestyle after organ donation. And organ donation doesn’t limit you with what you’re able to do,” she said.Thomas gives a great ‘thank you’ to Run Vermont, who helped her raise funds for the summit with their ‘Get Out and Give Back’ 5k rn in January.“I think for most of us on the hike, organ donation has changed most of our lives for the better, and the lives of our recipients for the better,” she said.Anyone interested in donating or learning more about Kidney Donor Athletes can visit https://kidneydonorathlete.org/.More information on becoming a donor can be foundhttps://www.kidneyregistry.org/for-donors/.
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. —
Rebekah Thomas doesn’t let below-freezing temperatures stop her Sunday morning runs.
“I’ve been training on some of our high peaks, which aren’t very high,” she said.
It was 2001 when she ran her first marathon, the Vermont City Marathon. Now, she’s preparing to reach new heights.
“A huge challenge will be the altitude difference,” she said.
The elementary school teacher started making blood donations in college. In 2019, she donated 65% of her liver and in 2020, a kidney. She made her donations at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the same hospital a young student of hers received a life-saving donation years ago.
“In the height of the pandemic when most things were canceled, UPMC was in full force doing organ transplants for living donors, I’m very grateful they were able to do that,” she said.
Now, she joins over 20 other kidney donors nationwide who are training to summit Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak, on world kidney day March 10.
“One of the reasons we’re doing this hike is we want to show people that it’s possible to continue with a normal healthy lifestyle after organ donation. And organ donation doesn’t limit you with what you’re able to do,” she said.
Thomas gives a great ‘thank you’ to Run Vermont, who helped her raise funds for the summit with their ‘Get Out and Give Back’ 5k rn in January.
“I think for most of us on the hike, organ donation has changed most of our lives for the better, and the lives of our recipients for the better,” she said.
Anyone interested in donating or learning more about Kidney Donor Athletes can visit
https://kidneydonorathlete.org/.
More information on becoming a donor can be found
https://www.kidneyregistry.org/for-donors/.