Kristi Nelson

Kristi Nelson (’94), Dallas Dallas-Fort Worth NBC 5 anchor, not only donated a kidney to her mother this August, she documented the process in a series called “Kristi’s Gift” to raise awareness of kidney disease and the need for organ donation, especially among ethnic minorities. She reports that kidney failure rates are higher for African Americans and Hispanics due to higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure, with access to health care and cultural barriers also playing a role. The three-night series, which aired on the station’s 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, included a reporter tweeting live from the operating rooms.