10 Amazing Women You’ve Never Heard Of

Kelly Perkins: Heart transplant recipient, mountain climber, organ donation advocate

By the age of 30, Kelly Perkins was an enthusiastic mountain climber  who had climbed many of the world’s most famous peaks. In 1992, shortly after she and her husband Craig returned from a European hiking trip to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary, Kelly discovered she had a form of heart disease called cardiomyopathy. In 1995, she would undergo a heart transplant.

Not wanting to face life as an invalid, Perkins vowed to improve her physical health so she could continue to pursue her passion for mountain climbing. She became the first heart transplant recipient to reach some of the world’s highest peaks, including Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.

Perkins continues to climb mountains around the world, not only for her personal pleasure but also to raise awareness for organ transplantation and donation.