Lori Gaitten can be considered the poster child for selflessness and self-sacrifice. Without hesitation, Lori was willing to donate one of her kidneys to an eight year old girl that not only had she never met, but a child whose mother was Lori’s customer. This is a mere example of the passion for life that Lori lives by.
Lori is a donor recruitment representative at the American Red Cross and is in charge of setting up blood drives at churches, school, business and civic groups in Athens and Perry County, with Ohio University being her biggest client. Also a member of the Straitsville Enduro Riders, Lori volunteers her time to help with race day registration and also helps out with the event in any way that she can.
One day, Lori was approached by the principal of a local school to hold a blood drive for the woman’s daughter who was suffering from polycystic liver disease. The eight year old girl, Darby, had already begun to accept that she wouldn’t be around for much longer, leaving handprints for her parents to remember her by. This didn’t sit well with Lori and promptly came to find that she and Darby shared the same blood type, making Lori a compatible donor.
Without thought or hesitation Lori insisted that Darby have one of Lori’s kidneys, truly changing the lives of not only Darby and Lori, but both their families as well. To this day, Darby is doing things that she thought she’d never be able to do. She has become both a dancer and a basketball player all thanks to Lori’s selflessness and desire to help. The two families have since become closer than any of them could have ever anticipated and Lori thanks God for bringing Darby into her life.
Lori is not only a wife but a mother as well to three children. Growing up she knew that the wanted to be a mother and seeing her children grow up has been the most rewarding adventure of her life. Although her work week is hectic, Lori ensures that she leaves her weekends open to spend time with her family. Each of her children still live at home and that has allowed her the opportunity to be close with each of them.
Working with the American Red Cross, Lori stresses how important it is for people to understand how vital it is for people to give blood. Only a mere 5% of our population are donors and the demand is becoming increasingly greater than the supply. No one knows when they will be in a situation that requires a blood transfusion and giving to others is the best way to know that you’ll be taken care of in your time of need.
The American Red Cross has been a huge part of her life for the past 13 years and continues to be. Each time she sees someone giving blood for the first time, she is thrilled to know that she has done her best to make the experience as comfortable as possible so that they will continue coming back time and again.