Palo Alto native Anna Modlin won eight gold medals at the 2016 Transplant Games of America this summer.
The 34 year old was also named Female Athlete of the Year.
The Transplant Games of America are an Olympic-like, multi-sport festival event for individuals who have undergone life-saving transplant surgeries. The games are held every other year.
Modlin is team manager for the more than 20 athletes who compete for the Northern California team.
She was born with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that destroys the lungs due to chronic lung infection. She had a double lung transplant a few years ago.
“I compete because I can. I compete because I was given a second chance and because I owe everything of why my body works to my donor,” said Modlin, who only knows her organ donor was a woman.
“It’s about honoring her memory,” Modlin said.
Sports
On Saturday, she will be speaking at the 29th National Cystic Fibrosis Family Education Conference in the Bay Area.
She wants to encourage people to donate organs.
People can register and learn more by visiting DonateLifeCalifornia.org.
