Episode 110: Beyond the Call of Duty of a Living Organ Donor - Lindsay Gutierrez's Mission

What inspires someone to donate an organ, then do it again?Meet Lindsay Gutierrez, a veteran, advocate, and incredible woman who turned selflessness into her life's mission. In this episode of the Becoming Immune Confident Podcast, Dr. Kara welcomes Lindsay Gutierrez, a veteran, social advocate, and living organ donor, to share her remarkable journey. From her early ambitions in special effects makeup to finding her purpose through service in the Air Force and beyond, Lindsay's story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and profound generosity. Join us as Lindsay discusses her work with veterans, her experience as a living organ donor, and her advocacy through beauty pageants, highlighting her life's mission: to be the change she wishes to see in the world.Listen to this episode and discover the incredible power of organ donation. Get inspired by a story of courage, compassion, and the life-changing impact one person can make.EPISODE IN A GLANCE00:00 Intro00:14 Meet Lindsay Gutierrez: Air Force Veteran and Social Advocate01:52 Lindsay's Transition from Military to Social Advocacy03:50 Beginning of Lindsay's Organ Donation Journey05:50 How do you become a Living Organ Donor?08:02 Differences in Recovery: Kidney vs. Liver Donation09:03 The Ripple Effect of Organ Donation14:09 Lindsay's Experience with PTSD and TBI Post-Deployment19:31 The Evolution of Patient Care and Advocacy23:19 Advocacy and Future Endeavors: Pageants and BeyondABOUT LINDSAY GUTIERREZOriginally from Midwest City, OK, Lindsay Gutierrez dual resides in Nashville, Georgia and Fort Meade, Maryland with her active duty Air Force husband, Anthony, and many fur babies. She’s a veteran of the United States Air Force and works for the Department of Defense. It was through the military and outside experiences that Lindsay was able to find her calling as a social advocate. After she separated from the military in 2016, Lindsay first became involved in pageants to bring awareness to veteran needs and issues. Since then, Lindsay has held the titles of Ms. Veteran America, Ms. Georgia US Continental, Ms. Georgia American Women of Service, Ms. Georgia South, Mrs. Hahira Honeybee, Miss Georgia Military Star Honorary Veteran, Mrs. American Elegance. She is the reigning Ms. Nation’s Capital Achievement, and Lindsay will be competing for the title of Ms. Achievement USA in July 2024.Lindsay attended undergrad at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. She continued her graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, receiving a master’s in Human Relations and Arizona State University with her master’s in Social Work. She is an active volunteer in her community and loves the outdoors. Furthermore, Lindsay is an ambassador for various living organ donor foundations. On 25 May 2022, Lindsay donated her kidney to a fellow veteran; on 30 April 2024 she’s scheduled to undergo liver donation surgery. Sharing her donation experiences not only brings awareness of the need for living donors, but helps to close the wait time gap for recipients on the transplant list so more lives can be saved. Her favorite quote to live by and encourage others with is “be the change you wish to see in the world.”CONNECT WITH LINDSAY GUTIERREZInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/linds_gutierrez/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/msncausa2324 Dr World Productions → https://www.drworldproductions.com/ ABOUT DR KARA WADAQuadruple board-certified pediatric and adult allergy immunology & lifestyle medicine physician, Sjogren’s patient and life coach shares her recipe for success combining anti-inflammatory lifestyle, trusting therapeutic relationships, modern medicine & our minds to harness our bod