Cloquet woman who donated her kidney shares about climbing three volcanoes in Guatemala

Cloquet organ donor climbs three volcanoes in Guatemala

Julie Samuelson went for the hike of a lifetime in Guatemala as part of the Kidney Donor Athletes group.

Julie Samuelson went for the hike of a lifetime last month. Or really, it was three.

She’s part of the Kidney Donor Athletes group who did the One Kidney Climb in Guatemala.

The group climbed three volcanoes in four days.

“I’m still on the hiking high,” she told us.

It was a tiring task to do so much hiking over steep terrain. Their guides took really good care of them.

KDA’s goal is to increase the number of living donors, by showing the world what you can do with one kidney. There are about 100,000 people in the United States waiting for a kidney.

Samuelson said the group does feel really bonded. “We all took different paths to get there, and then we were there, and on the same path. We were 18 different people, but we were one.”

Now she hopes to inspire others to become a living donor. “You probably will live a fuller life by donating,” she said.

For more information: https://kidneydonorathlete.org/

To see the first story about Julie: https://www.wdio.com/front-page/top-stories/cloquet-woman-going-to-guatemala-for-one-kidney-climb-three-volcanoes-challenge/