Samantha Carreiro was inspired to donate when she watched a friend pass away while searching for a bone marrow donor when she was younger. That experience changed her outlook on life and she knew in the future that given the chance to save another life while maintaining her own, she would do it.
Deeply rooted in her faith Samantha had never felt the calling to do something this strongly before. Her recipient is a spin instructor at a gym she belonged to for years. After class one day she heard he needed a kidney and instantly knew this was something she was supposed to do. She moved forward with testing in complete peace knowing should she be a match this would only be another chapter in her own life story.
Samantha is climbing Kilimanjaro to show the world that donation does not negatively impact the quality of life. She believes that while donating may not be for everyone, everyone should be aware that donating does not dictate an inactive future. She donated her kidney on June 23, 2020, at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.
To prepare for the upcoming trek Samantha has been spending time training in various different ways. From weight training, utilizing her peloton for extended cardio, scrimmaging/practicing alongside the high school basketball team she is the assistant coach for as well as her favorite training which is hiking with her mom.
Samantha’s mom has hiked the NH 48 4000 footers and is one of her biggest cheerleaders! Samantha’s mom Dawn is an ICU nurse and over the last two years getting “mountain medicine” is one of the best ways to escape and unwind. She has been tagging along on her mom’s adventures to prepare for her Kili and is thankful to have her expertise in preparation for this trip.
Samantha is extra thankful to her husband, two kids, and dad for supporting her and her mom’s need to escape on the weekend to get in the long-distance training needed to prepare for Kili. It really does take a village! “I hope to show my kids that we can enhance the world in different unique ways, this is mine.”
Samantha’s story was recently featured in Foster’s Daily Democrat newspaper. More information about living kidney donation and Kidney Donor Athletes can be found at kidneyregistry.org and kidneydonorathlete.org.
