Advocate Spotlight: Kristen Atkinson

Kristen with her husband, Tim.

Donor Alliance volunteers and advocates are the heart and soul of our efforts to inspire and inform our community about the importance of signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor in Colorado and Wyoming. Each of our volunteers and advocates has their own unique and inspiring story to tell. In this advocate spotlight, meet Kristen Atkinson, a recipient’s wife and caregiver from Firestone, CO.

Get to Know Kristen Atkinson in this Month’s Advocate Spotlight:

What’s your favorite thing about volunteering at Donor Alliance? I love giving back to an organization and a cause that’s given me so much. My husband wouldn’t be here today without organ donation. I enjoy meeting people who don’t know how the process works, and also meeting those that know far more than I do. It’s been such an engaging experience all the way around.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Going back to college. I’ve never gotten a degree, but it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do. It’s been slow going but has been a lot of fun! I love learning new things.

What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it? Avengers: Endgame. It was great! The Marvel universe is so different, and we loved watching all the movies.

If you could take an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you go? Probably Alaska. There’s so many National Parks I would love to see up there, and glaciers and northern lights are things I’ve always wanted to see.

What are some of your favorite hobbies? My husband and I do 5K charity runs pretty frequently. I also like doing crafts, like jewelry making, knitting, and journaling. I also like reading.

What song would you sing at karaoke night? I’m definitely not a good singer – so anything where I’m not the only person on the stage!

If you could have any super power for 24 hours, what would it be? I’d want the ability to change anything about anyone. Imagine all the good things you could do for people in 24 hours!

What’s your favorite holiday and why? Halloween! I love the costumes and the fun of the Halloween. And I loved dressing up and candy as a kid. Okay, even still as an adult. 😊

What’s your favorite season and why? 100% Fall. I love the cooler weather.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? “Remember who you are.” Sometimes it’s hard to remember who we are, especially in hard situations. If I step back and take a moment to remember who I am, my perspective often changes.