She loved bowling, softball, and fishing. She worked at a local bank. “I got this” was her motto. But 21-year old Mara Krysiak of Superior, Wisconsin, was born with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a “genetic mutation in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick” and battled for her life each day as she got older and was unable to participate in sports or daily activities.
She had her first heart transplant on Nov. 24, 2012. But almost a full year after her transplant, Mara’s new heart failed. That’s when her doctors turned to the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart implant. According to the company’s website, it’s intended to sustain life until a suitable donor heart is available. She became the second person to receive an artificial heart implant at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee on Nov. 11. However, a few months later, she developed a blood infection that led to complications and excessive fluid buildup in her lungs. On January 13, 2014, Mara passed away.
But what is amazing the is incredible support Mara and her family have received not just from her local community, but the 939 members of her Facebook group “Team Mara” throughout Mara’s time in treatment. Over the years, family members and friends filled the page with photos, videos, and photos of Mara living life and remaining smiling and radiant despite her condition. The group was also a platform to encourage its members to become organ donors and spread awareness about heart disease. Yet, the most touching are the messages from the significant amount of members who have never even met her.
“Thanks for educating me on being a registered donor instead of just checking it on my drivers license. Received my certificate today!!! I never met Mara, but WOW what love there is for her. She was very important to a friend of mine and that is how I became part of Team Mara.”
Scroll down the page and from her passing you will not only find messages of condolence but you will also see dozens of photos people uploaded of their certificate of organ donation registration in memory of Mara. Her life ended prematurely but her story will save many lives through the gift of organ donation from Mara’s supporters.
This is just another example of how social and collaborative media can make an impact and even inspire change in ways that traditional health media have been less effective. It also demonstrates the power of a story, in this case, a real-life story that was unfolding as time went on. Many of the people who joined this Facebook group probably have never met Mara in their lives but who were changed by following Mara’s life over the past few years. For Mara’s family, they hope this kind of publicity will inspire their followers to not just be passive, but to take action by donating to support research and becoming registered organ donors for the future of others who need a healthy heart.
How can we use inspirations like “Team Mara” to educate, impact, and encourage media consumers to take a more active role about health issues?