A Santa Barbara neonatal nurse who donated her organs is being remembered in a unique way this Saturday.
Transplant recipients, together with the nurse’s family, are celebrating the power of organ donation with a walk and barbecue at Leadbetter Beach.
Without Santa Barbara-based neonatal nurse Vivian Beutel making a choice at the end of her life, W Scott Burns knows he wouldn’t still be here. She donated her kidney to him in 2015.
"I mean, because of her, I'm alive," said Burns.
In fact, Beutel saved five lives. Burns, who received her donor kidney, will join her family and other donor recipients for the annual walk. He hopes it will inspire others to become organ donors.
"Five people's lives were changed because of that," said Burns. "I keep on my cell phone a picture of her to remind me of that. I go out of my way to tell other people that you know you need to sign up for organ donation."
The event includes a 2-mile walk to Stearns Wharf and back from the West End of Leadbetter Beach and aims to raise awareness of the importance of saying “YES” to organ donation and saving lives.
The Annual Organ Donation Celebration Walk and Barbecue is Saturday at Leadbetter Beach (West End), 801 Shoreline Drive in Santa Barbara. It runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
