A Tale of Two Kidneys

I know this may seem crazy to some people, so I hope you’ll give me a chance to explain. Last February I was watching the morning news featuring a woman who anonymously donated bone marrow to a teenager, saving her life. I was really inspired by this story of the ultimate gift and I started to explore becoming a living organ donor. I did a lot of research and then started calling around to Transplant Centers throughout Phoenix. Although I thought I was doing something that completely made sense, saving someone’s life, the people on the other end of the phone didn’t know what to do with me. For example, my conversation with the Mayo Clinic went like this:

Me: “Hi. My name is Cynthia. I would like to be a living kidney donor.”
Nurse: “Are you dying.”
Me: “Not that I know of.”
Nurse: “Do you know of someone that needs a kidney.”
Me: “No, that’s why I’m calling you.”
Nurse: “Sorry, but we do not have a program for anonymous kidney donors.”

I was so confused. I had read that there are hundreds of people waiting for a kidney transplant, including children. I am a healthy, young person that has two functioning kidneys. Why won’t they let me help someone? Moreover, I found several articles describing other people who have anonymously donated an organ.

So more research and what I found is that there are many legalities and much legislation about such things. Finally I found someone at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital who would talk to me about putting together a program for anonymous donors. About a month later I got the disappointing news that the Board Director said they were no longer pursuing my request; they did not have the resources to establish an anonymous living donor program at this time.

Although the Children’s Hospital would not put me on their donor list since I did not know a child that needed a kidney, I did not want to give up. Not only am I still determined to donate my kidney, I now know that I want to give it to a child.

Next I try signing up as a donor at Good Samaritan Transplant Center. At last I have found an organization that has a program for anonymous donors. I tell them of my desire to donate to a child. They say that they do not have children on their recipient list but their surgeons know the surgeons at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and they think they might be able to make something work.

So I start a long series of physical tests (which I am not even half way through) that determine my general health, the health of my kidneys, and analysis of my blood and DNA for matching purposes.

Today I got a call from Good Samaritan telling me that there is a boy at Phx Children’s Hospital who needs a kidney. He has two relatives who offered to donate their kidney to save him, but in both cases the tests indicated that the kidney would be rejected by the boy’s body.

Based on my initial blood testing (called an HLA matching), they think the boy's body would accept my kidney -- I might be a good match for him!!

The doctors and surgeons are doing evaluations on the boy’s health to see how soon he might be able to go through a surgery and I have a long list of medical exams that I must complete. They are still not 100% sure we are a good match or that Phoenix Children’s Hospital will allow me to donate since I do not personally know the child. Things are still up in the air, but seem hopeful.

I’ll post updates as I get them. For those of you who may ask, here’s some information about the risks:

1) The surgery for me is 3 hours long and there are some risks to it, although minor.
2) The recovery time is 2-3 weeks.
3) My kids have a .5%(very small) chance of ever needing my kidney and yes I thought of that.
4) I have a .5% chance of ever needing a kidney after this surgery.
5) I’ve been planning this since February, so yes I have given it a lot of thought.
6) If it all pans out, the surgery will be in late December.

I have a wonderful, magical life. Everyone deserves a chance at that.

I’ll keep you posted as things develop.