SNHU Spotlight: Demetria Garduno, BS in Health Administration Grad

Demetria Garduno '24 puts her family first. But she also realizes the importance of her own goals. She decided to enroll in Southern New Hampshire University’s (SNHU) online program, and nothing — not even donating a kidney to help her husband — stopped her.

“My journey to this degree did not come easy,” said Garduno.

While attending community college off and on, she met her husband and had a family. She said her dream of obtaining a degree simply was put on hold while she focused on being a mother.

Once Garduno decided it was time to restart her educational journey, she enrolled at SNHU but quickly hit a life-altering roadblock. Her husband was in renal failure for the second time in his life. His kidney transplant was failing.

“We found out he needed to start dialysis,” said Garduno.

With her husband requiring three treatments a week, Garduno also still had to juggle her responsibilities as a mother, a full-time employee and a full-time student. “I didn’t know if I could finish,” she said. “And I thought a lot of times that I would put it on hold and just stop. Take a break.”

Garduno said she leaned on her advisor and her mother for support. “(My mom) had asked me, ‘If you stop going now do you think you’ll ever finish? Do you think you’ll keep going back and ... get that degree you’ve wanted?’” she said.

Garduno didn’t think she would. So, she pushed on.

During this time, Garduno took on another challenge. She decided to become her husband’s kidney donor. “We have the same blood type, she said. “But throughout that journey and testing — and extensive, extensive testing — we found out I wasn’t a direct match.”

Though discouraged, Garduno was not ready to give up hope.

The National Kidney Registry offers paired kidney exchanges. In Garduno’s case, she was able to donate her kidney to a stranger, on behalf of her husband. In return, when a match became available, her husband would also receive a kidney. “That was just really amazing,” Garduno said. “It’s very humbling being able to give someone the gift of life in this (way).”

Throughout, Garduno continued to work toward her bachelor's in healthcare administration. The night before her surgery, she completed all her weekly discussions and turned in her final projects. “I passed with A's in both of those classes, which was really incredible,” she said.

Six months passed before her husband received his kidney in November 2023. “It’s doing great so far,” said Garduno. “We’re so happy it’s over. And it was incredible coming into this new year ... with a new outtake on life. We’re so proud to be in this moment.”

As a first-generation graduate, Garduno said she hopes her story can inspire others in her family: her mother, her son and her future children — and that her son will understand the sacrifices she’s made to better herself and to support her family.

“No matter how long it takes ... you can still earn (your degree) at any time. Time is not a barrier in this essence,” she said. “(I want to) show him that anything in life is possible as long as you stick to it and dedicate time for yourself and, most importantly, to yourself.”

Garduno said she learned a lot about herself throughout this experience. “I put a lot of other people’s needs ahead of my own,” she said. “And I think that’s natural with being a mom and being a wife. So, I learned that it’s very, very important that I put myself first in these situations ... I’m important and I matter.”

Garduno, who works in healthcare, said she hopes to use her degree to advance in her company and eventually secure a leadership role. She’s now enrolled in a master's program at SNHU.

“For me, this degree means that I’ve believed in myself over the last 12 years,” she said. “I’ve overcome many hardships to ... get to the finish line. I’m proud of myself.”

Abigayle Mahnken is a writer from South Carolina, who is currently earning her master’s in creative writing at Southern New Hampshire University. Connect with her on LinkedIn.