Kellie Terry needs a lifesaving kidney transplant.

Since her 20s, she's battled hypertension, which led to her diagnosis of kidney disease in 2021. She was placed on the national transplant waiting list in 2022.

Since, the lifelong Indiana resident has undergone peritoneal dialysis at home. It's a process she's had to endure every night since 2023 that helps remove toxins from her body while she sleeps, allowing her to maintain some normalcy in her daily life.

But dialysis is not a cure. Over time, the toll of kidney disease progresses. Terry will ultimately need the ultimate gift - a kidney transplant - to survive. So, she waits.

At 55, as a mother of three grown sons and grandmother of four, Terry remains grateful as she waits for her miracle.

"I refuse to let this illness dominate me," Terry said. "I've got to keep on living because I know a kidney is coming."

April is National Donate Life Month, a time to recognize the selfless decisions of those who have saved and healed lives by being an organ and tissue donor and realize the importance of donation and transplantation. It's also a time to remember patients like Terry who are waiting for the gift of life.

"During National Donate Life Month, we encourage Hoosiers to take the time and learn more about organ and tissue donation and ultimately sign up to become donors," said Indiana Donor Network President and CEO Kellie Tremain. "As we take time this month to honor deceased and living donors and celebrate the lives they have saved, it is important to remember there are still so many in our communities waiting for their lifesaving gift."

Nationally, more than 103,000 people are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, including more than 1,300 Hoosiers. But every day, 17 people die because the organ they needed did not become available in time.

One organ donor can save eight lives and one tissue donor can heal more than 75 others. One cornea donor can restore sight to two people.

Through awareness, advocacy and education, the mission of Donate Life Indiana is to save lives by creating opportunities for all Indiana residents to sign up to become organ and tissue donors while striving to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation and transplantation through public education.

"Our message to every Hoosier during National Donate Life Month is to be a hero and save a life by signing up as an organ and tissue donor," said Donate Life Indiana President Tim Clauson, who also co-owns Clauson Marshall Racing. "If everyone took that simple step - to sign up and say, 'I want to be a donor at the end of my life' - there wouldn't be a waiting list."

Despite age or medical history, anyone can sign up to be an organ and tissue donor. Donate Life Indiana offers five easy ways that Hoosiers can say "yes" to becoming a donor:

• They can sign up online at DonateLifeIndiana.org.
• They can say "yes" when conducting business at their local Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch.
• They can sign up when they apply online for a hunting, fishing or trapping license through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
• They can sign up when applying for a professional license to work in the state of Indiana through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency.
• They can say "yes" through the Health app on their iPhone or iPad.

More than 4.4 million Hoosiers have signed up to become organ, tissue and cornea donors while the Donate Life community nationally has registered 170 million Americans to become donors.