Jennifer Nicole Cushman was a feisty, strong-willed woman who loved helping the underdog. Even though she knew there was a “right” way to do things, Jen always preferred to figure it out on her own.

Despite suffering continuous headaches from arteriovenous malformation (AVM) − an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in the brain, which often rupture and cause an aneurysm − Jen spent every free moment during the last year of her life working in her garden.

On May 19, 2008, at age 26, Jen died, and her husband immediately carried out her wishes to be an organ donor without hesitation. Her precious gift saved the lives of four people.