Former nurse spurred by transplant to a second career of kindness 

Known worldwide as helpers and healers, nurses are often the unsung staff members providing just the right word, gesture or small measure of comfort that give patients the boost they need during a hospital stay.

When former licensed practical nurse Jennifer Cassidy of New Castle found herself on the receiving end of such medical care, she was so touched by her experience she used it to find even more ways to help others.

After receiving a heart transplant in 2020, Cassidy was inspired to return to school to pursue a degree in social work.

“Donation means so many things to me,” she said. “It has given me a new start and a second chance at life.”

It’s during National Nurses Week this month — from May 6 to 12, fittingly Florence Nightingale’s birthday — that Cassidy and nurses across the country are celebrated for their contributions to their communities and the importance of nursing careers is highlighted.

It’s the kindness of individuals like Cassidy that elevates the critical role nurses play in the health care system and, in her case, amplifies the importance of being a tissue and organ donor. It saves lives and changes lives.

Just one donor can save eight people and enhance life for more than 75 others. Learn how easy it is to register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor online.