The Gift of Health: Joni Marr Donates Organ to Father

Joni Marr teaches students at Lesslie Elementary School how to be more active and eat healthier. Winthrop wellness coach Joni Marr took extraordinary steps over the holidays to contribute to her father’s health. She gave her father the most personalized Christmas gift she could – her left kidney. Berger’s disease claimed her father’s kidneys in 2005. Since then, John Marr had endured dialysis while biding his time on the transplant list. In spring 2006, Joni and her three siblings underwent initial testing as possible matches. However, due to the expense, Joni decided to go through the next round of tests alone. In October, she received the good news that she was a match, and the successful surgery took place Dec. 14 at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C. Joni has seen positive changes occurring with her father. “I always tried to get him to eat better and be more active, but he always shrugged it off. He promised me that after this procedure, if successful, that he would do his best to be more active. He has kept true to his word. He walks everyday and does other simple activities that will keep his body from breaking down in the future,” Joni said, adding that her father has lost 30 pounds. Joni, who earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from UNC-Wilmington and will graduate from Winthrop in May with a master’s degree in physical education, credits her active lifestyle and healthy eating habits with contributing to her speedy recovery. “I love all aspects of fitness and activities. I aim to keep my routine diverse, even including swimming, racquetball and sprints. Being active helps me live my life the way I want. I started doing simple things the first day out of surgery, like walking and ‘kitchen sink squats.’ The doctors encouraged this since it helps your body ‘wake-up’ and get back to some normalcy,” Joni said. As the wellness coach for Zest Quest, a comprehensive health wellness program administered by Winthrop’s Department of Health and Physical Education at Lesslie Elementary School in Rock Hill, Joni conducts yoga classes for teachers and organizes Family Fitness Nights to encourage parents to pay attention to their child’s health. “I have a passion for teaching fitness and wellness. I enjoy seeing people who thought that they would never be able to enjoy being active actually grow to love it,” Joni said. Return to Main Page -->