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EP 126: Twice Gifted: Beth Otto’s Journey As a 2 Time Kidney Recipient
Title: Twice Gifted: Beth Otto’s Journey As a 2 Time Kidney Recipient
🎙️ Episode Summary
In today’s episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson interviews Beth Otto. At just 25 years old, Beth Otto received her first life-saving kidney transplant from a deceased donor. Years later, a second transplant — this time from a selfless friend — gave her a renewed lease on life. In this inspiring episode, Beth opens up about her journey as a two-time kidney recipient and how those experiences shaped her purpose. Motivated by the care she received, Beth became a nurse, dedicating her life to helping others. This episode is a powerful reminder of the impact of organ donation and the resilience of the human spirit.
✨ Episode Highlights
📝 Key Takeaways
Beth’s story shows how organ donation not only restores health but also inspires communities to register, talk openly, and advocate for donation.
A living donation carries a special connection between donor and recipient—allowing them to celebrate milestones together and share a lifetime of gratitude.
Beth transformed her personal health journey into a 35-year nursing career, using her experiences to fuel compassion, service, and advocacy for others facing similar challenges.
📢 Tweetable Quotes
“So then went to the hospital. They ended up finding out that I had just had complete renal failure. They tested me, and I had no kidney function whatsoever.”
“Thank you from the bottom of my kidney. I don't ever take a moment for granted. I live every day as hard and as fast as I can, and try as hard and as fast as I can to help everybody else have that same joy.”
“So that's why I went back to nursing school, and that's where I felt like what I gained from being in the hospital, and the care that I received while I was getting my transplant, I was like, Okay, this is I gotta do this.”
“And so I really always wanted to become a heart nurse, okay? And so I ended up getting and working in cardiac and the cardiac unit cardiac rehab, and I did that for 19 years, and then I worked alongside wellness and cardiac care.”
“And the perfect match is obviously an identical twin. She was the second-best thing, just a perfect match. She said the only thing that would have been better was if I had had a twin.”
“I guess they differ because I have the ability now to be with my donor all the time. Yeah, we go out frequently. We, you know, celebrate each other's successes, stories, and lives. We're all family, right? Her husband always says, “they're all here”, and so that's just a really fun way, and it's really true.”
“That's what I hear often from people who have been donors, living kidney donors, as much of a blessing as they have been to that person that they're able to help, they feel they were equally as blessed because they were able to give this gift.”
Resources:
Donatelifeky.org
https://getoffthelist.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.networkforhope.org/stories-of-hope/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
https://www.youtube.com/@NetworkforHope.
https://aopo.org/
RegisterMe.org/NetworkforHope
View all episodes
By Network For Hope
4.9
1111 ratings
Title: Twice Gifted: Beth Otto’s Journey As a 2 Time Kidney Recipient
🎙️ Episode Summary
In today’s episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson interviews Beth Otto. At just 25 years old, Beth Otto received her first life-saving kidney transplant from a deceased donor. Years later, a second transplant — this time from a selfless friend — gave her a renewed lease on life. In this inspiring episode, Beth opens up about her journey as a two-time kidney recipient and how those experiences shaped her purpose. Motivated by the care she received, Beth became a nurse, dedicating her life to helping others. This episode is a powerful reminder of the impact of organ donation and the resilience of the human spirit.
✨ Episode Highlights
📝 Key Takeaways
Beth’s story shows how organ donation not only restores health but also inspires communities to register, talk openly, and advocate for donation.
A living donation carries a special connection between donor and recipient—allowing them to celebrate milestones together and share a lifetime of gratitude.
Beth transformed her personal health journey into a 35-year nursing career, using her experiences to fuel compassion, service, and advocacy for others facing similar challenges.
📢 Tweetable Quotes
“So then went to the hospital. They ended up finding out that I had just had complete renal failure. They tested me, and I had no kidney function whatsoever.”
“Thank you from the bottom of my kidney. I don't ever take a moment for granted. I live every day as hard and as fast as I can, and try as hard and as fast as I can to help everybody else have that same joy.”
“So that's why I went back to nursing school, and that's where I felt like what I gained from being in the hospital, and the care that I received while I was getting my transplant, I was like, Okay, this is I gotta do this.”
“And so I really always wanted to become a heart nurse, okay? And so I ended up getting and working in cardiac and the cardiac unit cardiac rehab, and I did that for 19 years, and then I worked alongside wellness and cardiac care.”
“And the perfect match is obviously an identical twin. She was the second-best thing, just a perfect match. She said the only thing that would have been better was if I had had a twin.”
“I guess they differ because I have the ability now to be with my donor all the time. Yeah, we go out frequently. We, you know, celebrate each other's successes, stories, and lives. We're all family, right? Her husband always says, “they're all here”, and so that's just a really fun way, and it's really true.”
“That's what I hear often from people who have been donors, living kidney donors, as much of a blessing as they have been to that person that they're able to help, they feel they were equally as blessed because they were able to give this gift.”
Resources:
Donatelifeky.org
https://getoffthelist.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/
https://www.networkforhope.org/about-us/
https://www.networkforhope.org/stories-of-hope/
https://www.facebook.com/NetworkForHopeOPO
https://www.youtube.com/@NetworkforHope.
https://aopo.org/
RegisterMe.org/NetworkforHope