Andrew Menard

I am Andrew Menard, an elementary school teacher with a passion for supporting students’ personal and academic growth. I am completing my 30th year of teaching with Denver Public Schools.

Over the years I have worked with hundreds of families and about 1,500 students, then when I was at my lowest point, my school community stepped up to save my life.

In 2012, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). This wasn’t shocking news as my father struggled with PKD for 15 years. I inherited the gene from him. When my kidney function fell enough for me to become active on the UNOS list, I decided to let my school community know that I was in trouble. Parents and kids mobilized to create a campaign aimed at finding a living donor for me. This included school events, local media coverage and an all out call for help. It came down to the wire, but as I reached eight percent kidney function, with the prospect of dialysis looming, a donor was identified. A school parent with three children, all of whom passed through my 4th grade class, became my living donor. For me, that was when life began (again!).

Since then I have become an active advocate in the transplant community. I do volunteer work for the National Kidney Foundation. I volunteer with the American Transplant Foundation as a mentor in their 1+1=Life program and I am a team manager/athlete for Team Rocky Mountain participating in the Transplant Games of America.

I have lived the miracle of transplantation and I am committed to helping others achieve their second chance at life also.