Kirsten Stuck

Kirsten Stuck grew up doing gymnastics. As a young teenager who already had undergone multiple knee surgeries, she thought her active lifestyle may have come to an end when she learned she would need repeated procedures for the rest of her life.

As a last hope for a permanent fix, she went to Mizzou BioJoint® Center, where she eventually had two more surgeries, receiving a partial patella from a tissue donor.

“My doctor was determined to give me a normal life,” she said.

Now, Kirsten is extremely active, running and working out daily. She’s studying biomedical engineering on a pre-med track in hopes of one day working in a hospital setting, potentially even in the surgical field.

Receiving donated tissue has changed Kirsten’s perspective on organ, eye and tissue donation.

“It’s not just lifesaving organs,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without my donor.

“Thank you to my tissue donor and their family for giving me opportunity. That person changed my life.”