WISCONSIN (CBS 58) — April is Donate Life Month. So it's a great time to bring you an update on the everyday heroes of organ donors we met in February.
Natasha Irish was preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for kidney donation. The last time we saw Eilish, she was climbing the stairs at Form and Fitness gym in Grafton. It was all in preparation for an important trip.
“It was also probably one of the hardest things I've ever done,” Eilish said.
She set out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Start your day with a song with your Tanzanian guide and climb step by step.
Last month, an Irishman spent a week reaching the top of Africa's highest mountain.
“I think donating a kidney is probably easier than climbing Kilimanjaro,” she said with a smile.
She was one of 14 climbers who climbed with a kidney donor athlete.
“I think the biggest challenge was the final push to the top, which takes seven hours to cover three miles in the dark,” she said.
The group arrived at Uhuru Peak in time for World Kidney Day on March 14.
“I mean, I was overwhelmed with emotion. There were tears. There was a flood of relief that I had succeeded. It was joy,” Eilish said of the experience.
The Irishman was instrumental in the trip to raise awareness of living kidney donation.
Last year, she donated one of her kidneys to a stranger.
“He was at the point where his kidneys were failing,” said his friend Kelly Welsh.
Thanks to Eilish's donation, Wales was able to find her perfect mate.
Climbing Kilimanjaro as part of the One Kidney Climb aims to raise awareness in the hope that others will also consider donating.
“People have been very accepting,” Irish said.
Hearing this response made her feel that she had achieved her goal.
“So since I came back, at least three people have contacted me to say they are starting the testing process, people I didn't know,” she said proudly.
During my trip, I learned that I had been accepted into the Doctor of Public Health program at Johns Hopkins University. And she will return to Africa this weekend to continue her work in global public health. She is committed to making the world a better place.
If you would like to nominate your everyday hero, send Natalie a message. [email protected].
