Wendy Felden remembers her daughter, Madison Wouters, as a gifted artist who loved making her friends and family laugh and always put others before herself. “Maddy had a heart of gold. She thought of everybody else first,” Wendy says. “There was something about her—she cared about everybody else.”

Unfortunately, Maddy struggled with addiction but was determined to get clean when she found out she was pregnant with her daughter. “That scared her; she wanted to get off that stuff,” Wendy says. “I always said I’d do anything and everything to help her.”

Sadly, in 2023, Maddy lost her battle with addiction when she accidentally overdosed on fentanyl. She was rushed to the hospital where doctors determined there was no hope of recovery. But Maddy was a registered organ and tissue donor and donated her kidneys and liver to save three lives. “She cared and had the biggest heart,” Wendy says. “Her dad and I were extremely proud that she made the decision to be a donor.” 

Though Wendy and her family still grieve over Maddy’s loss, they are more determined than ever to raise awareness about the lifesaving gift of organ donation. “To save someone out there and not be selfish is such a wonderful thing,” she says. “I’m spreading the word to whoever will listen. It was what she wanted, and I got to give her that wish, which was the biggest of all.”

She also takes comfort in speaking with other families who have been impacted by organ and tissue donation, attending Versiti Organ and Tissue donor family events. “It warms my heart that you guys are there for families who lost their loved ones,” she says. “You do such honorable work, and I don’t know if I could be in that seat.”

Finally, Wendy hopes that sharing her story will inspire others to join the organ and tissue donor registry. “Why not help someone and make something positive come out of something so tragic?” she says.

Every 10 minutes, someone is added to the organ transplant waiting list.

Approximately 113,000 men, women, and children are waiting for life-saving organ transplants. One organ donor has the power to save up to eight lives and change the outcomes of someone’s world forever by giving them a second chance. Additionally, tissue donation can save and improve the lives of up to 75 people with their gifts. You can make a huge impact by registering as an organ and tissue donor.

Learn more about organ and tissue donation, or register as a donor at https://donatelifewisconsin.org.