ASU Alumna, a liver transplant recipient, encourages organ donations

PHOENIX - As we approach National Donate Life Month in April, ASU Baseball is encouraging its fans to become organ donors.

At an upcoming game, an ASU alumna who received the gift of life will be there spreading that message.

The backstory:

Jessie Boyd is living her life to the fullest after nearly losing her life in 2021. She became very sick and was taken to the hospital.

Doctors discovered she had a hole in her intestine, and once the operation began to repair it, something far worse was discovered.

"While they were in there fixing my intestine, they said that my liver was completely shot. We were all shocked beyond belief. I've been healthy my entire life," Boyd said.

Because of the severity of her condition, she was transferred to Mayo Clinic. On Christmas Day of that year, she received the best gift she could ever get.

Life.

"On Christmas Day, something happened to a beautiful soul. They gave me that person's liver and because of them, I'm alive," she said.

'It's one of the biggest blessings that has happened in my life'

Big picture view:

Boyd, an ASU alumna, is helping the college spread awareness about organ donation. Ahead of Donate Life Month in April, she'll be throwing out the first pitch at the baseball game on March 1.

She played college softball at Texas Tech, so this opportunity hits close to home in more ways than one.

Boyd says she's been practicing and even found her college softball glove from 1999.

"I'm very excited to be back on a college ball field. I haven't been back on a college ball field since '99," she said.

The excitement for the game and experience is running high, but most importantly, she's hoping to spread the message of hope and is encouraging others to donate life.

"It's one of the biggest blessings that has happened in my life. The trauma and the pain was brutal, but the blessings that have come from it, it's something I don't know how to put into words. That's why I want to keep doing things like this to promote organ donation."

What you can do:

You can learn more about how to become an organ donor by clicking here.