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University Health doctor, 11 donor athletes complete climb atop Mt. Kilimanjaro

Kelley Hitchman, other Kidney Donor athletes climbed to raise awareness for organ donation

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio doctor has successfully summitted Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for organ donation.

Kelley Hitchman, director of the University Health Transplant Institute Lab, celebrated the achievement with climbers from the Kidney Donor Athletes.

A Facebook post from the group commemorated the achievement.

Hitchman and the group took on the challenge to raise awareness about the safety and importance of living organ donation.

“It’s myself and 14 other living kidney donors and one transplant surgeon. We have been advocating all year long and will advocate for years to come,” Hitchman told KSAT’s Courtney Friedman.

In 2021, Hitchman donated her kidney to a stranger.

After celebrating, the group began the link trek down to their camp.

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About the Authors
Mason Hickok headshot

Mason Hickok is a digital journalist at KSAT. He graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a communication degree and a minor in film studies. He also spent two years working at The Paisano, the independent student newspaper at UTSA. Outside of the newsroom, he enjoys the outdoors, reading and watching movies.

Courtney Friedman headshot

Courtney Friedman anchors KSAT’s weekend evening shows and reports during the week. Her ongoing Loving in Fear series confronts Bexar County’s domestic violence epidemic. She joined KSAT in 2014 and is proud to call the SA and South Texas community home. She came to San Antonio from KYTX CBS 19 in Tyler, where she also anchored & reported.

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