Kyla Winters
ASMP Advocate

In the summer of 2009, I suddenly became ill and was rushed to the ER, where doctors quickly gave me antibiotics. Doctors confirmed I had bacterial meningitis and told my family I had a 10 percent chance of survival. One complication followed another—respiratory and kidney failure, extremely low blood pressure, and several cardiac arrests. I was in the ICU for six weeks and remained in the hospital for almost four months. In order to save my life, doctors amputated both of my legs below the knee and all of my fingers.

After leaving the hospital, my pregnant twin sister, Liana, moved with her husband and young son to San Diego so they could care for me. I was on dialysis for ten hours every night and had several hand surgeries. In 2010, I received a kidney transplant from Liana. Today, I educate others about meningococcal vaccination and raise awareness about organ donation.