Jodi Schmidt: A Truly Selfless Organ Donor #AtoZChallenge

When Natasha Fuller's grandmother Chris Burelton got the call to come to the school urgently, she feared the worst. Suffering from the rare prune belly syndrome since birth, Natasha had required dialysis for her failing kidneys for most of her 8 young years. The reason she lived in Oakfield with her grandparents and away from her parents and siblings was in fact because she needed the specialized hospital care available there.

At eight years of age, Natasha was in the last stages of kidney failure and dying and kept getting pushed down the transplant list due to recurrent infections.

When Chris reached Oakfield Elementary, she was made to sit down by the Principal and a fellow teacher. A pink gift box was then handed to her. Confused, she opened it up and then burst into tears.

Inside was a note that simply said,"It's a match."

Unknown to the grandmother, the teacher sitting beside her, Jodi Schmidt, had got herself tested and when she turned out to be a match, decided to give the child her kidney. Amazingly, Jodi had never even taught Natasha. The two would just cross each other in the hallway and Jodi loved the young girl's cheery nature and talkative nature.

“I have no fears at all, no worries. It is something I feel I have 

been called to do and have never felt more 

confident with a decision I have made.” 

- Jodi Schmidt

Jodi and her husband also helped organize fundraisers to cover Natasha's medical bills. In May 2016, the transplant surgery took place. It was successful.

A few months later, when school restarted, Natasha Fuller walked in together with her teacher Jodi Schmidt to the sounds of applause and cheer from all the staff and children at Oakfield Elementary.

Why I want you to remember Jodi Schmidt

Organ donation is a topic that needs a lot more attention that it receives. For a living being to give away a vital organ voluntarily is a rarity even today, often related with financial or familial conditions in India, at least. For a young teacher, a mother of three, to give it to a child she just sees walking around at school, requires a heart filled with good will and love for mankind.

Would you like to see the exact moment the grandmother and child realized they had found a match? Here you go. (Spoiler alert: Keep a handkerchief ready.)



This is part of my #AtoZChallenge where I will be focusing on Real Life Heroes: Shining Examples of Kindness and Compassion. You can find other real-life heroes here.