Methodist Fremont Health nurse shares own experience of heart transplant, urges others to become organ donors during National Donate Life Month

Less than four months after receiving a new heart, Methodist Fremont Health nurse Tanya Hagerbaumer was back at work in the post-anesthesia care unit — a testament to advances in modern medicine, her own tenacity and her faith.

“God got me through all of this,” Hagerbaumer said. “I have never went into an operating room knowing — I've had plenty of surgeries — knowing that I'm having such a big surgery and being completely at peace and that was all God. So I really have to give Him all the glory, and then my donor's family.”

April is National Donate Life Month and earlier this month hospitals around the nation held flag-raising ceremonies to commemorate organ donors and honor their sacrifices. That Hagerbaumer was even present for the ceremony at Methodist Fremont Health is due to an area family’s tragedy that became a blessing in the Hagerbaumer household and the households of other organ recipients from the same donor.

“There's no amount of thank yous I can say for the gift that their loved one has given me and I just want to let them know, basically, that it's not going in vain, that I will live for them, too, and how much I appreciate the sacrifice,” Hagerbaumer said.

Fremont Tribune: Grateful heart recipient urges others to become organ donors