Stories of Hope

Our goal at Donate Life Northwest is to educate and encourage people to sign up on their state donor registry. Why? To offer hope to the parents of an 11-year-old boy given six months to live unless he receives a heart transplant. To give grieving families the knowledge their loved one left a selfless legacy. To join in celebration of lives saved and sight and mobility restored because a person's decision to donate was known and honored at their time of death. Because organ, eye and tissue donation is about one human being offering the gift of life to another. Submit Your Story
Kidney recipient Nelson Zepeda with his wife

Nelson Zepeda

Nelson's illness came suddenly and quickly led to a life of medications, restrictions, and dialysis. But now, because of the generosity of a donor, Nelson is living to encourage those still on the waiting list.

Pediatric kidney patient Nevaeh Dewitt with Spiderman at OMSI superhero exhibit

Nevaeh Dewitt

Nevaeh was diagnosed with Alport Syndrome as a child, but for years it lay dormant. As a teen, it was her knees that gave her problems. This led to her receiving tissue allografts. Then, at 19, she received a life-saving kidney transplant.

Norrine Smokey-Smith

Norrine is grateful for breath, life, and the ability to serve -- both the Donate Life community and the Native American community.

Phil Weitz Rsx for SOH

Phil Weitz

Phil, a retiree in Umatilla, is one of our most enthusiastic longtime volunteers. In December 2022, he will celebrate 10 years with the donated heart that saved his life – and almost as long volunteering for DLNW.

Rob Ayers

Today, Rob and Jen and their two children -- Lauren and Jonathan -- live life to the fullest. And it's all thanks to a generous donor!

Robby Holmes

After being shot and nearly losing an eye, Robby has a lot of reason to be angry or bitter. Instead, this cornea recipient lives his life with an attitude of gratitude, forgiveness, and perseverance.

A couple sitting on concrete porch stoop, man on the left wearing blue flannel shirt, woman on right wearing denim jacket, with a gray and brown doggo between them.

Rose Naughtin

Rose’s health journey hasn’t been an easy one, but she is here and healthy thanks to three generous donors.

Sarah Holtz

Kidney recipient, Sarah, is excitedly living her "best life." For her, that includes her family, her teaching career, volunteering for Donate Life Northwest, and being a regular blood donor.

Sarah Pearson

Sarah received a heart in 2014. And when she passed away just 2 years later, she gave a final gift -- the gift of sight.

Susan Hassett

Susan's personal fight against Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy has finally ended, thanks to one individual who registered as an organ donor.