WHAT:

April is National Donate Life Month and Intermountain Health has teamed up with UNLV Athletics to bring much-needed attention to organ donation and raise awareness at Tuesday’s UNLV baseball game.  

As part of this celebration, the first pitch of Friday’s home game will be thrown by Tanisha Ellerbe, 50, from Las Vegas. She is a robotics and cyber security teacher at Liberty High School in Henderson.

She loves her job, her family, and traveling. But for years, she was living with a chronic kidney disease that threatened to take away everything she cherished. 

Her miracle came in the form of a living donor from Utah who was also a complete stranger. She did not know Tanisha, but she wanted to help someone in need. On August 15, Tanisha underwent a successful kidney transplant surgery and has a new lease on life and continuing her teaching.

Intermountain Health, the official health partner of UNLV Athletics, will be at the game to honor Donate Life month and recognize those who have saved lives through the gift of organ donation.

It is only through the generosity of donor families and donors that makes saving lives through organ transplantation possible. Across the country, 104,000 people are currently on the transplant list, waiting for a kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, or lungs. Every nine minutes another person is added to the wait list. In Nevada, 667 people are on that waiting list.

Intermountain Health is a premier organ transplant provider in the Intermountain West, providing heart, kidney, liver, pancreas and bone marrow transplants to people in need across the region. Learn more at intermountainhealthcare.org/donatelife.

WHEN:

5:30 pm, Tuesday, April 9, 2024

First pitch is scheduled for 5:50 pm, media should arrive 30 minutes before

UNLV Hustlin’ Rebels vs Utah Tech

WHERE: 

UNLV – Earl E. Wilson Stadium
4350 S University Center Dr,  Las Vegas, NV

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As part of this celebration, the ceremonial first pitch of the April 21 UNLV home baseball game at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas between the Hustlin’ Rebels and California Baptist Lancers was thrown by Christina Martinez, an organ donor who not only changed a life, but saved the life of a friend and colleague, Raquita Elmore.

On July 28, 2021, Christina arrived at Intermountain Medical Center with a shirt saying, “It’s a great day to save lives.” That day, she donated one of her kidneys to Raquita, whose kidneys were failing. Her gift made it possible for Raquita to be healthy and have the energy to do the things she loves.

Intermountain Health, the official health partner of UNLV Athletics, at the game encouraged people to register to become an organ donor and urged fans to discuss these plans with their families. Representatives from Nevada Donor Network shared information on how to become an organ donor.

In Nevada, 639 people are on the national waiting list for a life-saving organ.

Intermountain Health is a premier organ transplant provider in the Intermountain West, providing heart, kidney, liver, pancreas and bone marrow transplants to people in need across the region. Learn more at intermountainhealthcare.org/donatelife.