Lacey Wood
Type of Donation: Heart and kidney recipient
Age and Location: Age 30 – Placerville, CA
Donation Date: 10/21/1990 and 7/18/2006
Sponsor: Honored by OneLegacy
LACEY’S STORY
Lacey Wood, also known as Lucky Lacey, received a heart transplant at 18 months old from a baby boy named James. Lacey lived up to her nickname once again when her brother gave her one of his kidneys in 2006. Lacey has a long history with the cause of donation and transplantation. She began with the California’s Donor Registry Program and started speaking at the State Capital for the Registry at the age of 8. She has participated in the Transplant Games for 21 years and has participated in several World Transplant Games where she won a gold medal in snowboarding. “Don’t get too excited though, I only received gold because I was the only woman competing in the 18-25 age category.” Lacey was an intern for Sierra Donor Services in Sacramento, attended DePaul University and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Health Communications, and recently completed her Master’s Degree in Public Health from UCLA. “I am so grateful for this life and I live it to honor baby James and my brother by doing everything I can to live life to the fullest.” Lacey recently left her position with OneLegacy to take on a bigger role with Donate Life California. “I know that by continuing to share my story of successful transplantation, and what being an organ donor means, I can have an impact and change the lives of those who wait.”
Lacey enjoys spending time with her family, friends, boyfriend and especially her dog, June Bug. She runs half-marathons, has a small addiction to Starbucks, and can be found behind the bat at softball games several nights a week. She has never let her health stop her from pursuing her dreams and living life to its fullest. Her outlook on life can be summed up in her favorite quote, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”