2017 Katy Portell

KATY PORTELL

Heart Recipient

Age 26 ~ Anchorage, AK

Donation Transplantation

Honored by CryoLife at cryolife.com

Born in Houston, TX with several heart defects, Katy Portell was not expected to live. Katy had two minor surgeries to get through her first year, but still needed heart reconstruction and a donor heart valve to survive. When Katy was 4-years-old, she underwent open-heart surgery and received a lifesaving donor pulmonary artery. Now, 22 years later Katy graduated college, lived in Alaska, volunteered for multiple Donate Life affiliates, and worked in the donation and transplantation field for 2 years with Southwest Transplant Alliance. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at Kingston University with the intention of working professionally to promote organ, eye and tissue donation.

Katy’s Story

I was born in Houston, TX with several heart defects and was not expected to live. I was my parent’s first child and was so sick and fragile that they could not hold me for the first 10 days of my life. Two minor surgeries helped me get through my first year, but I needed heart reconstruction and a donor heart valve to survive. When I was 4-years-old, I underwent open-heart surgery and received a donor Pulmonary Artery, a tissue transplant that saved my life. Now, 22 years post-transplant I have graduated college, lived in Alaska, volunteered for multiple Donate Life affiliates, and worked in the donation and transplantation field for 2 years with Southwest Transplant Alliance. I am currently pursuing my Master’s at Kingston University in London, UK, with the intention of continuing to work professionally to promote organ, eye, and tissue donation.

In 2016, I had the incredible experience of writing to my donor family and receiving a letter back. I learned about my amazing donor for the first time. It was heartbreaking to “meet” someone who meant so much to me, while at the same time knowing that he was gone. Despite having thought of my donor often, seeing his photo brought the reality of what happened crashing down on me. At the same time, he was so amazing, and his mother’s letter to me was beautiful. It meant so much to finally know his name and a little about him, to be able to think of him and thank him by name.

Many people don’t realize the impact tissue donation can have on a life, but I can give witness to tissue being powerful and life-saving.