“Thank you for saving me.”
Jeff Zurowski’s words to his would-be kidney donor.
Individuals in need of a kidney transplant could be on the waiting list for 5 – 7 years for a deceased donor. Finding a living donor that is a match saves crucial time, gets someone off the waitlist and has a longer expected kidney lifespan (12 – 14 years instead of 7 – 8 from a deceased donor).
Justine Harrington’s mother’s partner had Type 1 diabetes, which eventually led to kidney failure. Harrington watched as her stepmom’s quality of life steadily declined, undergoing dialysis three times a week while she was no longer able to work.
“I was afraid that my mom was going to lose the person she loves most,” Harrington says of her decision to begin the process to see if she would be a match. “When I found out I was a match, it felt like the obvious thing to try and help give her and my mom back time together.”
Sheila Drew and her husband adopted an infant from China Adoption With Love, Inc 17 years into their marriage. Six years later, the agency contacted parents asking if anyone was willing to be tested as a living donor for a family’s eight-year-old daughter. Thinking of the love and bliss her six-year-old daughter has brought them, Drew easily made the decision to be tested. Though she was a match, the transplant team decided that someone a couple years younger would be a better candidate.
“I was devastated,” Drew says. “After a few days, I contacted the Living Kidney Donor Program at Rhode Island Hospital Transplant Center (where I work) and told them I’ve already been through most of the testing and I’d like to donate a kidney to whomever is next on the list.”
Potential donors that reach out to the Living Kidney Donor Program have their own team to test and prepare them for the process. There is a surgeon, nephrologist, nurse coordinator, social worker, living donor advocate, nutrition and pharmacy. There are multiple steps with health and informational conversations, to make sure the person knows what to expect and understands what is expected of them. The potential donor has the ability to opt out at any time up until surgery prep begins.
“The screening process to become a donor was extremely thorough,” Harrington says. “I had conversations with so many different specialists and had tons of opportunities to ask questions. It felt very supportive, and I never felt rushed or pressured. I felt well-educated, fully informed, and confident that I was making the right decision for myself.”
“Everyone was thorough and explained what would happen each step of the way,” Drew says. “I was reminded at each appointment it was 100% my decision and I could change my mind up until the last minute, going into the operating room.”
Harrington and Drew never had second thoughts about their decisions leading up to the surgery, and they only had minor worries. Harrington, whose decision to donate motivated her to take better care of herself, wondered how long it would take to recover and resume regular activities. Drew was concerned that her kidney wouldn’t work on the recipient, though she was assured upon waking up from surgery that everything went well and the recipient was doing great.
The recovery period for living donors can be up to three months with limited physical activity and time out of work. There are lifting restrictions, and someone needs to be available to assist the donor as they recover. Part of the approval process includes the donor team declaring that the living donor is healthy enough for surgery. Each individual has a different recovery experience but being a donor shouldn’t affect activity or life expectancy in any way, assuming they maintain their current level of good health after donation.
“The pain and discomfort immediately after the surgery was more intense than I had expected,” Harrington says. “I stayed in the hospital for three days. My mobility was limited during that time because of the abdominal incision. Those first few days were the hardest part of the experience. Once I returned home, my recovery progressed much more quickly than I anticipated. By two weeks I felt fully recovered.”
“I was exhausted the first two weeks and had some pain at the incision,” Drew says, “But nothing unbearable. I lost weight because I didn’t feel like eating much the first week. I stayed home for four weeks and then worked my way back to my job and normal activities.”
I often joke and say, “Whatever motivates you to give a kidney, you might be like me and lose weight in the process!!”
Harrington says that she never had any second thoughts about donating her kidney, but her family and close friends expressed their concerns about the potential long-term impact. They wanted to be sure that she was making the best decision for herself.
“As a mother, I was terrified for my daughter’s health,” says Jo Ann Schofield, Harrington’s Mother. “We initially told her, ‘No,’ but she contacted the doctor on her own to get tested. When dialysis got really bad, Sandy changed her mind and accepted Justine’s offer.”
“I appreciated those concerns, but I felt confident in my choice,” Harrington says, adding that there were no long-term effects and she doesn’t think much about the surgery 10 years later. “I knew this was something I wanted to do for Sandy and for my mom, and it also felt important to me personally. I could help someone I love, and doing so just felt like the right thing to do.”
“I had mixed emotions the whole time,” Schofield continues. “Justine was only 23, and the idea of her undergoing surgery was overwhelming. But her determination, courage, and selflessness gave my wife Sandy a second chance at life — and showed me what extraordinary love looks like.”
Drew met her recipient three days after the surgery. She locked eyes and felt an instant connection for “Kidney Carol.” She loved knowing that she had saved a life and wanted to do more. Since her husband wouldn’t let her donate any other organs, she spread her story and awareness to living donor programs. She spoke at any place welcoming her to share her experience. She has since supported seven people through their journey and is currently helping two more, including Jeff Zurowski, who has Stage 4 kidney failure and is searching for a living donor.
“I have truly embraced living donation and spreading awareness as a calling,” Drew says.
Rhode Island Hospital has the only transplant department in this state. There are about 370 people on the wait list at any given time. They conducted 47 transplants last year, with 19 of them from a living donor. The team is always willing to anonymously speak with potential donors to talk with them about the process and see if it is right for them.
“When you have the opportunity to help someone you love live a better, longer life, it can feel like a very natural choice,” Harrington says. “There’s no right or wrong decision. Living donation is deeply personal and depends on many factors, including health, timing, and life circumstances. But when it does feel like the right choice, it’s an incredible opportunity to give someone a new chance at life.”
“Having the opportunity to help a person in need creates a bond that both the donor and recipient will share for life,” Zurowski says. “It’s a big thing to ask of someone, be it a stranger or someone you know, but a person in need is also being given a second chance at life.”
“There’s a priceless feeling in my heart every day telling me I did the right thing,” Drew says. “A few weeks of discomfort to save a life is not a bad thing.
401-444-5285, living donor program website: brownhealth.org/donorguide