Atlanta area mother needs heart transplant after organ rejection

ATLANTA - A metro Atlanta mother is sharing her heart transplant story as an organization pushes for more people to register as organ donors for donors as thousands of Georgians remain on the organ transplant waiting list.

What we know:

LifeLink of Georgia says there are currently more than 3,000 people in the state waiting for an organ transplant. Officials said on average, 17 people die every day across the country while waiting for a donor.

Currently, 3.8 million people in Georgia are registered as organ donors. Officials are using National Donate Life Month to encourage more residents to sign up and discuss the decision with their families.

LifeLink officials said one organ and tissue donor has the potential to help up to 75 people. 

What they're saying:

Sierra Hill, a metro Atlanta mother, realized something was wrong after the birth of her second child. 

She sought medical help for chest pain and difficulty breathing, which led to a diagnosis of heart failure and being placed on the transplant list.

"To even get qualified for a transplant, you have to be sick, but you can't be too sick," Hill said. "Then, you have to go through, like, a mental check. They have to look at your financials."

Hill said she stayed in the hospital for three months before a donor heart became available.

While Hill's life improved after her initial transplant, she has been relisted for a second heart.

"Because I had so much rejection in the beginning, it did damage the donor heart," Hill said. "I do have to go to that procedure again, but I'm not scared. I've been through it before."

What you can do:

Officials from LifeLink Foundation encourage Georgians to get the facts about organ donation and make an informed decision. Potential donors can register online to leave what advocates call a "huge legacy" for those in need.