Quadruple transplant recipient shares importance of organ donor registry

April is Donate Life Month, dedicated to raising awareness about the lifesaving potential of organ donation. Kathy Calcagno, a quadruple transplant recipient from East Rochester, is a living testament to this cause. Calcagno experienced a sudden cardiac arrest at 26 while working in her family restaurant. Despite being an athlete and leading a healthy lifestyle, her condition led to her requiring a heart transplant after a defibrillator installed earlier failed decades later, causing severe complications. She was put on life support and remarkably received a heart within two days—a rare and fortunate occurrence. Years later, complications with her heart valve led to kidney failure, necessitating both a second heart and a second kidney transplant in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now 60, Calcagno is healthier than ever and emphasizes the importance of organ donation, crediting it with saving her life. She encourages others to register as donors, highlighting the critical impact it can have on recipients.

Source: Rochester First