Turia Pitt, an elite athlete, acclaimed speaker, author, mining engineer and former model visited Gift of Life Donor Program in 2016. Her visit was a remarkable triumph – one of many since Turia suffered burns over 65 percent of her body when a firestorm trapped her during an ultra-marathon in the Australian outback in 2011.
The Australian physicians struggling to save Turia knew she needed donor skin grafts, yet no donated skin was available at the time in Australia. Her doctors turned to Musculoskeletal Tissue Foundation (MTF), a leading U.S. tissue bank for help. The generosity of 16 Americans, including donors from Gift of Life Donor Program’s region, helped save Turia’s life.
Her amazing recovery has allowed her to reclaim her elite status as an athlete and complete the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. On January 2, 2017, she participated as a rider on the Donate Life America float in the Rose Parade, raising awareness about life-saving organ and tissue donation.
Turia is engaged to be married to her long-time partner Michael Hoskin, and the couple have two sons.
Learn more about Turia’s story in this video below and at her website: www.turiapitt.com. To sign up to become a tissue and organ donor, click here.