University Health doctor, 11 donor athletes complete climb atop Mt. Kilimanjaro

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio doctor has successfully summitted Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for organ donation.

Kelley Hitchman, director of the University Health Transplant Institute Lab, celebrated the achievement with climbers from the Kidney Donor Athletes.

A Facebook post from the group commemorated the achievement.

Hitchman and the group took on the challenge to raise awareness about the safety and importance of living organ donation.

“It’s myself and 14 other living kidney donors and one transplant surgeon. We have been advocating all year long and will advocate for years to come,” Hitchman told KSAT’s Courtney Friedman.

In 2021, Hitchman donated her kidney to a stranger.

After celebrating, the group began the link trek down to their camp.

Related:

• San Antonio doctor climbs new heights to raise awareness about need for more organ donors