BENNINGTON, Neb. (KMTV) — A 92-year-old Bennington woman is preparing to compete in the Transplant Games in Denver this month, representing Team Nebraska more than three decades after receiving a heart transplant.
Shirley Kramer received her transplanted heart in October of 1991, after a life-changing diagnosis where all other options failed.
"I had cardiomyopathy and it eventually deteriorated the heart," Kramer said.
"Then my heart filled with blood clots and the doctor said my only chance was a transplant," Kramer continued.
She waited on a transplant list for 13 months. In her own words, the call came just in time.
"I remember saying, 'God, if it doesn't happen soon...' and I got the phone call that noon," Kramer said.
To date, Kramer has lived with her transplanted heart three times longer than the average recipient. Her neighbor and friend, Rita Muff, who dedicated her career to healthcare, said she recognizes what that represents.
"She's so strong. She's been through so much," Muff said.
"She celebrates life. There's no doubt about it. She knows the meaning of life and she celebrates it," Muff smiled.
The Transplant Games began in 1990 and are held every two years, modeled after the Olympics. States and regions field their own teams. This year, more than 3,000 competitors are expected to participate when the games begin June 18 in Denver.
Kramer is proud to represent Team Nebraska. In past games, she has competed in badminton, table tennis, bocce ball, and cornhole, and more recently in Texas Hold'em and trivia. At the last games, she received the award as the oldest recipient in the field.
To prepare, Kramer has been practicing trivia with friends and neighbors at Ridgewood Senior Living in Bennington.
Kramer credits her donor — a man from Wisconsin — for everything she has experienced in the decades since her surgery.
"Every step I take, everything I do, next to God, is because of that donor," Kramer said.
"I would not have seen all of my grandchildren and great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren."
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