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'What A Difference It Can Make In Somebody's Life': Donor Dash Supports Organ Donation

By Joel Hillan

DENVER (CBS4)- Claire Montour suffers from a rare genetic disorder.

"I have an inherited form of Amyloidosis."

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(credit: Claire Montour)

The disease, passed down from her father, means the proteins her body produces are oddly shaped. They cannot be metabolized and collect in her body and her organs.

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(credit: Claire Montour)

"I had a lot of water retention and heart failure, so I was on medication, but my dad lived to 75, so I thought I would live to 75."

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(credit: Claire Montour)

She was just 60 years old when her life would change.

"I drove myself to the hospital because I thought I had the flu."

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Claire Montour (credit: CBS)

It would take 10 days for the staff at Swedish Hospital to stabilize her before airlifting her to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota.

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After extensive evaluation, she was added to the donor list.

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(credit: Claire Montour)

"After being in the hospital quite a while, I got the call one night, and you don't know what to do with those emotions."

She would receive a new heart, liver and kidney. Immediately she noticed a difference.

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(credit: Claire Montour)

"The first thing was seeing my face in a mirror and I had pink in my skin!"

Slowly but surely Claire would regain strength. Nine months after driving herself to the hospital, she was able to go home.

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(credit: Claire Montour)

"All because somebody said yes to organ, eye and tissue donation, what a powerful thing, what a difference it can make in somebody's life."

Sunday's Donor Dash is at 8 a.m. at Washington Park in Denver.

LINK: Donor Dash

Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.

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