A heroic gift from a stranger allowed Gina, a 17 year old cornea recipient, to stay in the game.
Playing basketball has always been a dream of Gina’s, but dreams can quickly turn. During a basketball game in her freshman year, she was accidentally poked in the eye, which developed into an ulcerated cornea, an open sore causing intense pain. “My life completely changed in a matter of a few seconds. I never thought something like this would happen to me.” Fortunately, a heroic gift from a stranger allowed Gina to stay in the game. “It took me awhile to get my full vision and depth perception back. I’m pretty much back to normal and whenever I can, I tell people about my transplant and encourage them to sign up as a donor. A simple gift can make many peoples’ lives better and happier.” Now, she has her sights set on fulfilling her dreams as a basketball player. “I haven’t picked out a college yet and I’m thinking about majoring in advertising, but I do know that I want to continue playing as a basketball guard.”
Cornea Recipient – Dearborn Heights , Michigan
Photo courtesy of Michigan Eye-Bank
