We heard from the dedicated physicians and coordinator who have made this process their life mission to those who participated in the exchange. One young man whose father died during his transplant surgery went ahead with donating his kidney to save another. A young woman who was the very first recipient celebrated with her father who was saved by her brave act. A group of altruistic donors who had donated without a prior connection to a loved one or family member recieved awards. We watched a screening of a documentary about paired exchange, "The Chain." Everyone in the room had a personal link to what we watched transpire on screen.
After the screening, I spoke with Karen Willis, an altruistic donor whose selfless act started the chain described in the film, and her recipient, Joe whose ex-wife had donated her kidney as part of the exchange. I shared with Karen that as I faced my fears before my surgery last month, watching Karen describe her unwavering commitment to help a stranger propelled me forward in my journey.
Our coordinator Suzanne McGuire handed my father a letter from his donor, another altruistic donor in Michigan who was inspired to donate a kidney to save a life. The young mother and my father have since spoken, shared family photos and stories, and an eternal bond.
As my brother noted, she is now part of our family.
The almost hundred people who were part of a paired exchange and the tens of thousands across the country who have donated or received a kidney as part of this remarkable process share something much bigger than our individual chains. We are linked in a way that words cannot describe.
Hillary Clinton once remarked, "It takes a village."
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| My dad, brother and me, May 2013 |
Much love,
Beth
To read about Karen's experience and watch "The Chain," follow the link below:
http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/05/13/how-to-donate-a-kidney
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