|
This week we are delighted to highlight Kelly Dyer - a leader in our Granite State community who has the courage and confidence to live her dreams – and does so in so very many ways.
The Henry David Thoreau quote about going confidently in the direction of your dreams and living the life you’ve imagined, immediately conjures up the thought of Kelly Dyer. Some might hear that quote and picture a personal challenge, to go confidently in reaching your own goals. Perhaps to be a self-made person. Many people who know Kelly might even think of her as a self-made, totally ‘self-reliant’ person, but she won’t accept that title.
While she certainly is a self-starter and gets up every day with the determination and drive of a Tony Robbins type of personality, she’ll be the first to tell you that she doesn’t do it all on her own. She recognizes the value of teamwork and always thinks of “how can this be a win-win situation, and not just a win for me?” We all have had our share of personal challenges, setbacks, and reasons to feel like giving up. If there is one thing, I have learned from her, it is when life is beating you down, find someone else worse off, and help them up. It could just be a tough day and you could just feel sorry for yourself, but who does that benefit? Find someone that needs a hug, a smile, a listening ear, a nudge in a better direction… and you’ll forget about your own problems.
In her career, Kelly helps people protect what matters most to them, with life insurance being part of that. She also supports fellow business owners and others to promote their businesses. One day, a co-worker asked Kelly if she could help spread a message. “Sure, what is it?” she asked. The co-worker said, “I need a kidney transplant and I don’t know how to get the message out there to ask someone to help”. It took Kelly a matter of seconds to process the opportunity to help a fellow human being and responded, “I’ll do it.” Her co-worker said “Oh thank you so much. You’re so good at posting on social media and talking to people”. Kelly smiled and responded “No, I mean I’ll do it. I’ll donate my kidney”. Fast forward a couple years later, and both her and her recipient are doing very well.
In fact, during the recovery from surgery, Kelly realized that one of the reasons that only about 30 women in one million (and about 19 men in one million) donate a kidney each year is because of the financial burden of recovery. You cannot legally pay someone to donate a kidney; however, in Kelly’s case, she had been successful in business and frugal leading up to the transplant surgery, so she was able to be out of work for a few weeks. Plus, her job isn’t highly physical, which would have made a return to work even more challenging. Prior to the surgery, she simply decided that she would figure out a way to make it work. Recognizing that being able to support donors in recovery could help bring awareness and possibly encourage more people to donate, she started the non-profit ‘Kidneys for Kindness.’
Whether it’s being a long-time board member for Best Buddies New Hampshire, the NH Home Builders Association, numerous business networking and women’s groups, volunteering for other worthwhile causes, completing multiple personal and professional development training, growing her business, and helping others grow theirs while serving families and businesses throughout New Hampshire and beyond (WOW!) …there’s actually more…
But for now, please take a moment to check out kidneysforkindness.org and keep an eye out for Kelly Dyer. She is still going confidently in the direction of her dreams, and if you’re lucky enough, she might just take you with her!
| 
