2022 Scholarship Winner – Kaylee Stewart
June 28, 2022
Kaylee Stewart’s father, Thomas, received a kidney transplant in 2020 after being on the transplant waiting list for two years. His new kidney recently failed, however, and he has started dialysis while being hospitalized for the past four months.
“He has had a few complications. But he’s currently trying to get healthy enough to be registered on the kidney transplantation list again,” Stewart said. “Our family’s personal experience with kidney transplantation has ultimately opened my eyes to a subject I knew little about. Dad was extremely fortunate to receive a kidney. We hope he can be healthy enough again to possibly get a second chance through organ donation.”
Stewart, 18, of Greenfield, Indiana, said she never realized how many people – more than 100,000 Americans and nearly 1,100 Hoosiers – are on the transplant waiting list. She didn’t know the need for organ donors was so great or that 17 people die each day because a lifesaving organ wasn’t available in time.
So she took action. Stewart registered as an organ donor.
“I’d like to help spread the word about the importance of organ donation in my community,” she said.
Stewart, who is working this summer at Greenfield Parks and Recreation, plans on studying elementary education at Franklin College and playing softball for the Grizzlies. She’d like to return to her Eastern Hancock school system to teach and eventually earn a principal’s license.
Read about the other 2022 Scholarship winners here.
