MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- UW Health in Madison has reached a milestone with its 1,000th heart transplant, marking the start of Donate Life Month.

Kortney Zblewski, a 30-year-old woman from central Wisconsin, underwent a combined heart and lung transplant in January after living for years with pulmonary hypertension and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Zblewski was placed on the transplant waitlist Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2024, and received her new organs Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, following a decline in her heart and lung function. UW Health’s transplant team says her case is part of a growing legacy that began with its first heart transplant in 1973 and its first heart-lung transplant in 1989.

The program is the only adult heart-lung transplant center in Wisconsin. Health officials continue to encourage residents to register as organ donors, citing more than 100,000 people nationwide who are waiting for transplants, including over 1,400 in Wisconsin.

April is observed nationally as Donate Life Month, a campaign that promotes organ, eye and tissue donation. More information can be found by clicking here.