Sage had such wonderful patience with people – she always gave people a second chance and was curious, not judgmental.
SightLife is the world’s leading eye bank and a global nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating corneal blindness. For over 50 years, they have been preventing blindness, restoring sight, and transforming health systems to address the inequities that contribute to and perpetuate corneal blindness globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The following is a story about one of their donors.
We often use the word “legacy” to describe the incredible gift of sight given to a grateful recipient by a person who became a cornea donor. Through the act of cornea donation, the gift of sight is given to a perfect stranger by an individual and impacts the recipient (s) and their community’s lives in ways the donor will never know. Sage, an 18-year-old young lady from Montana, left her legacy, her spirit, and her love on this earth.
Sage was born to Camille and Paul and lived in Bozeman, Montana, with her two older brothers, Zach and Jordan. She was a force in this world and always loved a challenge. Whether it was academics, gymnastics, rodeo, or light rifle shooting, she always pushed herself to be her best. While she did enjoy her successes, Sage also knew she could not win every time and learned how to be comfortable with her losses.
Sage was a gymnast from a young age and loved the sport for both its athletic gracefulness and the “sisterhood” — Sage was very social and easily made friends. Both of her brothers participated in rodeo, and often Sage would attend their events. She loved everything about rodeo, and as she grew, she started to participate; it became her number one passion. Sage also excelled in academics with math being her favorite. Paul describes her as a “math nerd”.
One of her dreams was to serve her country in the military, fueled by her admiration for her grandfather who served as a Marine. Sage was accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy, which was perfect for her both academically and athletically. Her plans, however, were changed by cold, outside forces. During her physical examination for the academy, cancer was discovered. This diagnosis did not cease her determination. Instead, it just changed her course. Sage enrolled at Montana Tech in hopes of pursuing a career in engineering.
By the beginning of 2019, Sage’s cancer had spread too much for her body to handle. On January 23, her presence left our world as we know it, but her spirit continued in countless ways. While devastated by the loss of their daughter, Paul and Camille knew that Sage wanted to be a donor, if possible, as she registered as a donor as soon as she got her driver’s license. It only made sense as Sage was so kind and giving to her community. Despite the cancer, Sage was able to donate both her corneas which brought sight to two different people.
After Sage’s passing, her parents discovered journals filled with self-reflections, her values, her hopes, all pointing to the fact that she was wise beyond her years. They found a quote of hers — “it’s a good day for a good day”. They shared this quote with Sage’s cornea recipients when they participated in SightLife’s anonymous letter writing program. They were pleased when one of the recipients wrote back and learned that he too was a believer in community and thoughtful acts. While there were some differences between Sage and the recipient, they seemed to be “kindred spirits” of sorts.
Paul shared that one of the biggest lessons he learned from his daughter was patience. Paul said, “Sage had such wonderful patience with people – she always gave people a second chance and was curious, not judgmental. I learned that you really don’t know what someone is dealing with; you don’t know what is underneath.”
Paul continued, “Since Sage’s passing, there has been a good deal of scholarships, programs, a dedicated Facebook page, and even a hashtag, all in her name. BUT the cornea donation was all Sage’s. That was HER gift. That was HER decision. HER idea. In a way, that act almost makes it the most profound.”
Paul and Camille don’t see her corneas as a piece of Sage left on this earth, but as a continuation of her spirit, a continuation of Sage doing the right thing.
To learn more about SightLife, visit sightlife.org.
2022 SightLife Facts
Last year, in the state of Montana, SightLife received 4821 referrals of death in Montana which resulted in 443 cornea donors. This potentially helped 886 men, women and children regain the gift of sight. This amazing feat could not have been accomplished without the help and support of the MFDA members.
Thank you for all you do to help us with this mission.
