{"id":11033,"date":"2017-07-14T16:45:58","date_gmt":"2017-07-14T22:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=11033"},"modified":"2020-06-16T12:37:42","modified_gmt":"2020-06-16T18:37:42","slug":"new-kidney-world-championship-spunky-blind-horse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/new-kidney-world-championship-spunky-blind-horse\/","title":{"rendered":"A new kidney, a world championship and a spunky blind horse"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PUEBLO WEST \u2014 Sara Millard lost half her body weight during the first 24 hours of her life.<\/p>\n

Even back then, down to 4 pounds, she was feisty.<\/p>\n

Doctors soon learned Sara had severe hypertension and kidney disease and they weren\u2019t sure she\u2019d live.<\/p>\n

She had her first surgery at 6 weeks, her first heart attack in kindergarten and her first dialysis session at 14.<\/p>\n

When she was 16, her dad donated one of his kidneys. For over a year, it looked like that transplant would take. But Sara became ill with a vicious infection called sepsis. Doctors had to pump her with drugs that saved her life, but forced them to remove the kidney.<\/p>\n

She had to resume dialysis and cope with bouts of severe illness.<\/p>\n

During one rough hospital stay, with a tracheostomy preventing her from speaking, Sara used sign language to give her parents a dire message: \u201cI want to die. I\u2019m ready to be with Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

A fighter, she survived that ordeal and regained her trademark optimism and quick wit. Altogether, Sara estimates she\u2019s had over 150 abdominal surgeries during her 31 years.<\/p>\n

Her 152nd appears to have been the lucky one.<\/p>\n

On March 17, thanks to an organ donor, Sara received a new kidney at UCHealth\u2019s University of Colorado Hospital, putting an end to 17 years on dialysis.<\/p>\n

Now, she can barely erase a huge grin from her face. She\u2019s relishing life without the grind of dialysis and right over her new kidney, Sara gets to wear a big shiny silver and gold belt buckle. It\u2019s her trophy from winning the world championships in her Old West-style event called cart shooting.<\/p>\n

\"Sara
Two spunky souls. Sara Millard with her horse, Tazz. Photo by Mark Reis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In June, just three months after getting her transplant, Sara strapped a corset around her belly for protection, donned the 1800s garb she wears for competitions and completed a perfect loop at the Single Action Shooting Society\u2019s championships in Edgewood, N.M. She raced through a course, steering her horse and cart at high speed with her left hand while shooting with her right, hitting every target with a replica of a .45-Colt revolver.<\/p>\n

She did it all with her trusty sidekick and fellow champion, a miniature white horse named Tazz, who just happens to be blind.<\/p>\n

Sara is only 4\u20197,\u2019\u2019 so she and her horse are a perfect pair.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s 30 inches tall. He\u2019s completely blind. We both had a rough start in life. We\u2019ve both gotten through those challenges and gotten through them in our own way.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Sara clinched her victory in June, defending her championship and winning her division for a fourth time, she thought the whole time about the kidney that was sustaining her. Another family had lost a loved one, but given her the gift of life. Sara dedicated her winning race to her mystery donor. Someday she hopes to meet her donor\u2019s family. She\u2019s keeping a journal to share with them.<\/p>\n