Heather Leverington Dotterer- Hope, Resiliency and the Gift of Organ Donation and Clinical Trials

Heather Leverington Dotterer is an organ donor advocate, mom and former co-head coach for indoor and outdoor track and field at Lockhaven Univeristy. Heather is an elite athlete, 5 time national champion in shotput, and previous olympic hopeful. In this episode, Heather shares her story of going from athlete, to being in a wheelchair on oxygen as she waited for a lung transplant. Heather recounts her story with vulnerability and honesty as she shares about the waiting for donor lungs and the decision to enter a clinical trial with lungs that underwent an ex viva lung profusion. Heather reminds us of the power of relationships, and the gift of second chances. Her story is one of resiliency, mental toughness and a willingness to find solutions to break through and persevere.