Note from Stacey

On Monday, June 19th, the entourage left the campground at 6:30 a.m., and I was the first one to check in at the badminton tournament. The family set up the banner in the stands, and cheered throughout the day as I earned the gold medal in four swift matches among an enthusiastic, yet inexperienced field of women in my age group, 30-39. It was a great honor to receive the gold medal from my sister Denise(pictured here with her daughter Mia.) I’ve played sports all my life, and I’ve never won a contest or a gold medal. But more meaningful than the medal is what the quest for the prize did for us: it motivated me to join a team and practice two hours per day, getting healthier and stronger throughout the year; the journey brought together my family from around the world for a great re-union; and it showed the world the success of organ donation and the difference one individual made by becoming an organ donor. It was a team effort to get this far, and I am grateful to my mom and Dave, who were my caregivers after the transplant, to all my friends who visited me in the hospital, raised funds for my medical bills, and traveled from all over the world to support me. I also want to honor my own donor, the woman whose lungs saved my life. It as a special event and a great joy to be at the Games., – Stacey, from Belmont