From Transplant to Triumph: A Nurse's Journey of Healing, Giving Back and Finding Love

Today we introduce Asia Werner, a transplant recipient and nurse with UC Health. Tune in to hear Asia's incredible story of receiving her heart transplant as an infant, her decision to become a nurse, and her advice for young people who might have to go through an organ transplant journey.

Episode Highlights:

• Andi introduces our guest, Asia Werner.
• Asia shares that she received her heart transplant on her 1st birthday
• Andi asks Asia how she felt after receiving media attention as she grew up
• Asia tells us that when she received her heart, it was around Christmas, and that made her story more interesting to the public
• Andi asks Asia about her nursing career decision
• Asia's love of taking care of others and making people feel better
• Asia worked with many spinal cord injury patients, which she sees as a sign of the universe guiding her toward this role.
• Andi asks about Asia’s participation in the Transplant Games
• The Transplant Games are the Olympics but for the transplant team, so recipients, donors, and even some medical professionals participate.
• Asia tells us that everybody who participates in the games goes through the same situations and they can all relate to each other and agree that they shouldn’t take life for granted.
• Andi asks Asia what her advice would be for young people going through the same situation as she did
• Asia advises people who will go through the transplant journey that they can still do what normal people do but with caution.  The most important thing is to make sure that they maintain follow-up doctor visits for check-ups and listen to their doctor's recommendations
• Asia reflects on her transplant experience, which provided her the freedom to pursue a normal life, and the importance of donors
• Asia expresses gratitude to their donor's family, acknowledging their life-saving decision

3 Key Points:

1. Asia tells her amazing story about receiving her heart on her 1st birthday, which was close to Christmas, and how it got media attention
2. Asia explains what got her into nursing. She tells us that at first, she thought she wanted to be a doctor but when she witnessed the difference between the direct impact of patient care nurses provided, it made it more clear what her choice would be.
3. Asia shares her experience in the Transplant games and how the people participating relate to each other.

Tweetable Quotes:

• “So it was really nice having somebody that I knew and was comfortable with because I was able to kind of open up a little more with him.” - Asia Werner
• “I know what it's like to have good nurses and I know what kind of a difference a good nurse can make.” - Asia Werner
• “Basically, it is the Olympics but for transplant people, so recipients, donors, and even some medical professionals are there.” - Asia Werner
• “Everybody is kind of in a similar situation.  My theory is that everybody knows how precious life is there and they understand, kind of, just how precious it is and how they don't take life for granted. They don't use their life to be mean to people.” - Asia Werner

Resources:

https://lifepassiton.org/

https://lifepassiton.org/board-of-directors-leadership/

https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH

https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeCenterOH

https://aopo.org/