The Wisconsin State Assembly will recognize Jodi Schmidt from Oakfield, Wisconsin as a “Hometown Hero” at the upcoming Assembly session on April 4th. Schmidt, a third grade teacher at Oakfield Elementary School, was nominated by her State Representative, Jeremy Thiesfeldt, for donating one of her kidneys to 8-year-old student, Natasha Fuller. Fuller suffered from prune belly syndrome, a rare defect that resulted in kidney dialysis three-times-a-week and landed her on the national donor list for a kidney transplant. Upon seeing a Facebook post from Fuller’s parents, Schmidt decided to get tested – she was a perfect match. Doctors successfully performed the transplant in May, 2016. Both Schmidt and Fuller have made full recoveries from the procedures, ensuring a normal childhood in Wisconsin’s 52nd District for Fuller moving forward. The Wisconsin State Assembly sees giving back to the community as one of the most valuable characteristics one can have. The Assembly Hometown Heroes program seeks to identify and recognize individuals from around the state who give of themselves to make a difference in our communities and in the lives of those around them. Hometown Hero Award winners are invited and introduced as a special guest at an Assembly floor session and given the opportunity to speak.
