Sister of Indiana organ donor awarded educational scholarship by Indiana Donor Network Foundation
August 21, 2024
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Halle Mitchell, 31, of Jacksonville, Florida has been awarded a $5,000 educational scholarship from Indiana Donor Network Foundation.
A 2010 graduate of Niceville Senior High School in Niceville, Florida, Mitchell graduated from University of West Florida in 2014 and University of North Florida in 2017. She’s currently attending Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine pursuing her doctorate degree, interested in specializing in family medicine, internal medicine and cardiology.
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Indiana Donor Network Foundation established its scholarship fund in 2005 to provide educational scholarships for immediate family members of Indiana residents who are organ and tissue donors in addition to living organ donors, organ transplant recipients, people waiting for lifesaving organ transplants and immediate family members of organ and tissue donors and transplant recipients.
Those selected as scholarship recipients often help raise awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation in saving and healing lives.
Other recipients included Martha Hunter of Carmel, Indiana ($8,000), Edith Estridge of Chesterton, Indiana ($6,500), Katherine Gaff of Syracuse, Indiana ($5,000) and Eric Casad of Terre Haute, Indiana ($2,000).
In the past five years, Indiana Donor Network Foundation has awarded $114,000 in educational scholarships, which are made possible each year thanks to the generosity of contributions made by Indiana Donor Network employees and the general public.
In the essay portion of her scholarship application, Mitchell shared her connection to organ donation story.
Two years ago, Mitchell’s sister, Kirby Glasgow of Columbus, Indiana died unexpectedly. Glasgow was an organ and tissue donor, something Mitchell at the time knew little about.
“While I was applying to medical school, I was able to shadow a Mayo Clinic physician who prepared patients for organ transplant surgery,” she said. “He ensured each patient was completing all steps to prepare for a transplant. I was then able to participate in hospital rounds with him and see the other side of the transplant process, where a patient had just received a new organ and was recovering. They had a new chance at life.”
When her sister died, Mitchell had to learn what she calls her hardest life lesson.
“I was so angry and hurt by what was becoming a harsh reality that I wanted no part of,” she said. “The most Kirby thing she could have done at the end of her time on Earth was give back to others, something she always found a way to do even when she didn’t necessarily have the means.”
One year after her sister’s death, Mitchell herself decided to sign up to become an organ donor.
“It took me a while to understand that out of the end of a loved one’s life, there are others who receive hope and a new chance at life,” she said. “I signed up because I finally understood how selfless my sister was when she chose to do so. I want to pay things forward and provide others with additional time to live intentionally, loyally and fiercely, just like Kirby did.”
Despite age or medical history, anyone can sign up to be a donor at DonateLifeIndiana.org. Learn more about Indiana Donor Network.
Indiana Donor Network’s mission is to save and enhance the quality of life through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Its vision is to be a leader in organ and tissue recovery. Founded in 1987, the organization coordinates donation in 85 of the state’s 92 counties and serves transplant hospitals throughout the U.S.
About Indiana Donor Network
The decision to become an organ, tissue and cornea donor is a decision to give the gift of life. Indiana Donor Network serves as the vital link between donors and patients waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, healing tissue and corneas to restore sight. The organization is a federally designated organ recovery organization and accredited tissue bank serving 85 of Indiana’s 92 counties. Its team of nearly 400 dedicated professionals is committed to saving and healing lives through donation and transplantation, championing the cause through education and outreach and supporting donor families in their time of need. For more or to sign up as a donor, visit Indiana Donor Network online.
ABOUT INDIANA DONOR NETWORK FOUNDATION
As a subsidiary of Indiana Donor Network, Indiana Donor Network Foundation enhances the lives of those touched by donation through education, innovation, caring and support. The Foundation raises funds through individual contributions, special events and sponsorships to support transplant recipients and the families of donor heroes. For more, visit Indiana Donor Network Foundation online.
Indiana Donor Network® and the Indiana Donor Network Foundation® are federally registered trademarks.
About Donate Life Indiana
Since 1998, Donate Life Indiana has been the state-authorized nonprofit organization responsible for managing the Indiana donor registry. Its mission is to save lives by creating opportunities for all Indiana citizens to sign up on the organization’s official state registry while striving to raise awareness for organ, tissue and cornea donation and transplantation through public education. For more, visit Donate Life Indiana online.
