“During summer in 2014, I came off of being a baseball catcher for my high school and started running 10 miles a day for getting ready for my cross country season, and damaged my left interior meniscus. On Dec. 2, 2014, I had it repaired after months of physical therapy. I tried to get back into my spring sports, but re-tore it by August, 2015. So, between August and November 2015, I had two more surgeries to repair it. Then, I went to the University of Iowa Orthopedic department and they said that I was a candidate for a meniscus transplant. I had my transplant on April 26, 2016. This surgery allowed me to walk without pain for the first time in two years. If I can tell everyone to not take their health for granted and that tissue and organ donation is so important for helping others live a healthy, happy life, I will! I thank my donor and their family every day. I won’t take my health for granted!”
-- Tissue Recipient, Jonathan Gavin