Organ donor uses social media to push her message

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Aimee Bultemeier has helped patients heal at St. Luke's Hospital for 14 years, but sometimes there just isn't any more she can do.

"I just had a friend who needed a heart transplant and she has since passed away," she said. "It breaks my heart."

And when two patients who needed kidneys had parallels to Bultemeier 's life, she thought about what she could do.

"They were both single parents in their thirties," said Bultemeier. "I feel like God really placed it on my heart to donate...I have two kidneys, so why not?"

After donating her kidney, Aimee is an anonymous living donor. That is by far the rarest kind. But she is inspiring others, hoping soon it isn't so rare.

Her Facebook page has become a recruiting tool where she posts her story and stories of others who need organs. Many people have decided to be donors because of what Aimee posts and some have even asked her how to become a living donor.

"It's amazing, I can't even describe the feeling knowing that someone else wants to help save a life."

"I've definitely seen the positives from people just signing up at the DMV or deciding to become a donor," said Erin Gregory from Midwest Transplant Network about the impact of social media.

Amit Gupta, a young web entrepreneur, recently found a very rare bone marrow donor after launching a massive online campaign through his own website, Twitter and Facebook. Quarterback Tom Brady and Justin Beiber have also recently made pleas for people to become donors.

Aimee is no celebrity but she's not done giving. "I have a bucket list," she said. "I signed up to donate bone marrow and hopefully in 2013 I will donate part of my liver."

People do question Aimee about the risks, but she has answers. "Why not save a life? I'd hate to be on the other end."

To become a donor or for more information, head to the Midwest Transplant Network website ( http://www.mwtn.org/ ) or DonateLife.org .