Local organ donor hopes to inspire others on 'WV Donor Day'

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Not only is August 1 the month that many people return to school, West Virginia will also be holding its fifth annual “WV Donor Day” as one organ donor saves eight lives, according to the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) and Donate Life WV.

Chastie Wilson, widow of a Navy veteran and Gold Star Medal recipient, remains grateful to a late donor who gave her a second chance at life on May 11, 2023.

“The chances of finding a donor were really low, between six and eight percent,” Wilson said, telling 12 News she had dozens of family members and people ready to become donors who were tested but weren't a match.

On May 10, 2023, after three years on the transplant waiting list, Wilson finally received news that a compatible kidney had been found. “I didn't have much hope. I was holding out hope for my children, but I didn't think we'd find a donor,” Wilson said.

Wilson was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease at age 22 and spent years in and out of hospital for treatment. At age 35, he developed kidney failure and began undergoing dialysis three years later.

The mother of three said she had lost hope and had decided to stop dialysis treatment after 18 months, but coincidentally received a life-changing phone call on the same day. By sharing her story, she hopes to inspire others on transplant wish lists to not lose hope and to register themselves as organ donors.

Four months after her surgery, the former stay-at-home mom decided she wanted to go to nursing school and join the community of people who had helped her.

“I've never been a nurse before. I was in the military, I was in the Navy, and then a friend of mine worked at Fayette CTI and asked me if I wanted to come as a student, so I said, 'Nurse?' I thought about it and I realized I could do this, I could inspire people, I could help people and make a difference. God gave me a second chance and I'm going to make the most of it,” Wilson said.

Currently, more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for a life-saving transplant, including about 500 West Virginians. Despite this, CORE says only 36% of West Virginians are registered as organ donors.

CORE officials said there is no age limit for organ donation and that anyone is welcome to become an organ donor, including those struggling with drug use. JW Ruby Memorial Hospital officials also denied the myth that hospitals will not provide life-saving treatment to patients if they know they are organ donors.

“This is a total misconception. Every physician takes an oath to care for their patients, to give them the best possible care, and to give them back a better quality of life. And when a patient is critically ill and there is no way they can recover from their injuries, naturally they will consider becoming an organ donor and approach their family about organ donation, but not before they have begun the necessary care,” said Kimberly Meyer, transplant coordinator and transplant quality manager.

CORE officials say you don't have to wait to go to the DMV to register as a donor, but Visit website In the same way.