Turning Gifts into New Beginnings Inspiring stories of organ donation and transplantation at Ohio State
Tim (heart recipient) with wife Karen
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45 Years of Transplant Excellence Since 1967, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has become a world leader in transplant and our team of experts continues to drive innovation through advanced research and excellent patient care. 1967 Living Donor Kidney Transplant – Ohio State’s first organ transplant 1983 One of the first centers in the U.S. to study cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant that revolutionized transplantation 1984 Liver Transplant – first in Ohio
1985 First Combined Kidney/Pancreas Transplant 1986 First Heart Transplant 1998 First Lung Transplant 1999 First Double Lung Transplant 1999 First Minimally Invasive Kidney Donor Surgery 2005 First Combined Heart/Double Lung Transplant 2005 First Paired Exchange Living Donor Kidney Transplant 2006 One of very few sites in North America approved to process pancreatic islet cells for transplants that may cure type 1 diabetes 2011 First Islet Cell Transplant 2011 First Six-Way Kidney Transplant – the largest transplant chain ever performed in Ohio
More than 7,500 organ and tissue transplants have been performed at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Transplant Center. This photo book highlights just a few of our patients’ inspiring stories of organ donation and transplantation. You, too, can give the “gift of life.” Visit transplant.osu.edu for more information on transplantation or visit Lifeline of Ohio at lifelineofohio.org to learn more about organ donation and donor registration. 1
thank James Craig
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
Craig and James met through church. When James needed a kidney, Craig was tested and learned he was a better match than any blood relative. According to Craig, it was no big deal. James needed a kidney; he had one to donate. The experience has made both families even closer than before. It seems only fitting that the date of the surgery was also friends’ day at their church.
Today, James doesn’t worry about being on dialysis for the rest of his life. He’s too busy spending time with his wife, Laura, and playing with their two young daughters. James is thankful for his friend Craig’s selfless decision to become a living kidney donor. Though many people ask Craig why he did it, he doesn’t see what all the fuss is about. “He needed a kidney, and I was able to provide it.”
Friends, Craig (left) and James (right)
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nkful Toni
Non-Directed Living Kidney Donor
While everyone was watching the presidential inauguration, Toni was in surgery, anonymously donating her kidney. Although she does not know the recipient, she does know that the recipient is doing very well with her donated kidney. Toni first thought about donating a kidney when she attended the 2008 Transplant Olympics in Pittsburgh, PA, with her partner. It was the first Transplant Olympics since her partner’s brother, Evin, had passed away from a heart condition. After listening to stories from other transplant recipients, a seed was planted in her soul. Back at home, Toni conducted research about becoming a living kidney donor. After making the decision, she never looked back. “Not only did I give another person a shot at living a good, normal and healthy life, but probably helped others too, who moved up on the donor list because my recipient came off,” Toni says. “I don’t know if I’ll ever meet my recipient. A large part of me wants to, but I also know that this has to be her decision. I’ve already made mine and I’m glad I did. This is going to be one of the best decisions I make in my entire life.”
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Jerry
Kidney-Pancreas Transplant Recipient
freed After 32 years of insulin dependence due to type 1 diabetes, Jerry had a pancreas transplant in 2004. He no longer felt restricted by the disease. Years of difficult-to-control blood sugars had damaged his kidneys, and he received a new kidney via transplant in 1997. He no longer had to go to dialysis. The transplanted organs Jerry, 55, received represent freedom to him.
“Before my kidney transplant, I was tired all the time and didn’t have the energy to do much besides what I had to do,” Jerry says. “My blood sugars still fluctuated wildly until my successful pancreas transplant. Things are much easier now. I feel like a normal person.”
Jerry with his wife Maryjo
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edom Trisha
Heart Transplant Recipient
Trisha was a “blue baby.” She was born with a rare condition that prevented her heart from pumping oxygen through her tiny body.
Doctors kept her alive, but her struggles were just beginning. At age two, she had her first heart operation, and spent much of her childhood in hospitals. Eventually, Trisha’s pediatric medical team referred her to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for a heart transplant. She got that transplant on March 20, 2003, a day she remembers very well nine years later. Her parents weren’t with her at the hospital when word came that a heart was ready. “But, somehow they got there just in time,” Rowe says. Now, at 36, Rowe is free from hospitals at last. She lives with her dog, works part-time, and relishes the novelty of just doing “everyday stuff.”
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ust Carolyn
Lung Transplant Recipient
When Carolyn struggled to bounce back after a lung transplant in California, she returned to her hometown, Columbus, Ohio. Not only was she closer to her family but also to her hometown doctors and hospital – The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “The doctors out west were good and I trusted them, but my trust for Ohio State is just higher. It’s a hometown thing,” she says. “I feel like the doctors at Ohio State pay closer attention to me as an individual.” Since returning home, Carolyn has gained weight, her pulmonary function and stamina have improved, and she exercises regularly. “I attribute my good condition today to Ohio State’s lifesaving expertise,” she says.
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Scott
Liver Transplant Recipient
Scott waited 15 months for a liver transplant. It came just in time for him to say goodbye to his father, James, who died one week after Scott left The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center with his new liver.
“I’d felt helpless because I hadn’t been able to help my mom with my dad at the end,” Scott says. “The transplant happened at just the right time so I could spend his last week with him. Mom said it was sadness and happiness at the same time because Dad was leaving us, but I’d gotten a second chance at life. Now, I live my life like every day could be my last. It’s awful that someone died to give me a second chance, but I’m happy I got to extend my life due to the donor’s generosity.”
Scott with his mom Reva
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osity Tim
Heart Transplant Recipient
When a routine high-school basketball physical uncovered a heart-valve defect it changed Tim’s life. For 25 years, Tim, now 58, got along fairly well. “Then,” he says, “in the matter of a weekend I went into full-fledged heart failure.” That’s when the cardiac team at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center told him he needed a heart transplant. He got it July 2, 2004 and a week later went home. “I was really blessed; the process was amazing.” Tim has packed a lot into the years since. He works with high school students and talks to them about his experience. And, Jones says he never misses a chance to praise his medical team. “They saved my life. I wouldn’t have seen any of these things if it weren’t for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.” “If they’d told me how rich my life would be after the transplant, I never would have believed it,” Tim says.
Tim with his wife Karen
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gratefu Robert
Liver Transplant Recipient
Robert, 64, says his doctors told him he wouldn’t have lived to see the new year if he hadn’t received a liver transplant in August 1996. He and his wife, Rita, married 40 years, are grateful for the organ donation and the expertise of liver and transplant specialists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Renewed life for Robert means he has been present for the marriages of the couple’s five children and births of their 11 grandchildren. Robert’s liver failed gradually over an eight-year period. He’d lost his energy and ambition. Post-transplant, he has regained his pep. “I don’t like to just sit around,” he says. “I’m lucky I got my transplant when I did. You couldn’t ask for nicer people than the doctors and nurses at Ohio State.”
Robert with his wife Rita
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Howard Catherine
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
In 2007, when Howard of Columbus went on the wait list for a kidney donor, he started looking for his match. No blood relatives matched, however. So after about a year and a half, his wife, Catherine, was tested. Surprisingly, she was a match – spouses rarely are – and the transplant took place in 2009. “I spent all this time waiting for a donor, and she was right here the whole time,” says Howard, who travels with Catherine in their mobile home. “I was happy I was a match and that surgery came out OK,” Catherine says. “My main concern was to keep him around as long as possible.”
Husband and wife
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strong Joycanne
Kidney Transplant Recipient
The best gift Joycanne ever received was from someone she’d never met.
Joycanne, 64, received a kidney from a family who lost their son in a fatal accident. “My surgeon told me seven of us received organs from this one young man,” she says.
Joycanne suffered from kidney and heart problems, and went into renal failure in May 2008. She began dialysis and was told during her yearly conference in 2011 that she was “about 200 down” on the kidney transplant waiting list. But two weeks later, she received a call from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. She says, “They told me, ‘Joycanne, we have a kidney for you.’” Ronald Pelletier, MD performed the transplant at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center in May 2011. Now that Joycanne is feeling stronger, she’s enjoying her grandson, Jordin, and hopes to start traveling again. She also hopes to meet her donor’s family to thank them in person for giving her a second chance at life.
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David Roy
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
When David needed a kidney to combat a hereditary disease, his brother Roy immediately stepped forward to be tested. With four of seven siblings in need of a kidney transplant, this tight�knit family battles polycystic kidney disease with their best defense: helping each other.
Brothers, David (left) and Roy (right)
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second Mark Rick
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
In a family beset by tragedy, Rick was determined to do whatever it took to help his brother Mark fight kidney disease. “Our family has been through so much pain. This wasn’t painful. We could actually do something about it. The pain comes when you can’t do anything.” While Mark is grateful for the enormous sacrifice and the second chance to raise his son, Rick says donating his kidney “really wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Brothers, Mark (left) and Rick (right)
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chance Russell
Heart Transplant Recipient
On June 30, 2003, Russell received his new heart. Nearly nine years later, “I’m still kicking,” he laughs. “I just can’t kick very high.”
After he got sick with a viral infection in 1998, Russell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy — a disease that weakened his heart muscle and ultimately forced him to quit his job in April of that year. Prior to the transplant, Russell was treated intravenously with Dobutamine to strengthen his heart muscle. But after reaching his maximum dosage without improvement, he was added to the heart transplant waiting list at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Six months later, a donor heart became available. Now 66, Russell praises the health care professionals who treated him before, during, and after his heart transplant. “The doctors and nurses were great,” he says. “They answered all our questions, and have continued to take good care of me,” he concludes.
Russell with his wife Betty
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Carla
Kidney Transplant Recipient
advoca Carla began dialysis and was placed on the transplant list in 2001 after living with kidney disease for nine years. On May 22, 2003, she received a kidney and the gift of life from a non-living donor. After surgery at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Carla went home five days later with a new kidney.
Since then, Carla has become a vocal advocate for organ transplant, working to educate the public about the importance of becoming an organ donor. She volunteers with Lifeline of Ohio, sharing her story of success and life in hopes of making organ donation a reality for the 500 people a month who are added to transplant waiting lists.
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The team at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center followed David closely while he was waiting for a heart transplant match. “They supported me all the way,” David says. “They would call me up at home and ask me how I was doing or if I needed anything. They supported me 100 percent, and beyond the call of duty.”
David
cate
Heart Transplant Recipient
“I used to be a worrier,” David says. “I think I’ve done a full 180 degrees since my transplant. I just don’t worry about all that much now.” David has much to be thankful for, including his five grandchildren. “I’m grateful just to be alive and to be able to see people and be around people and talk to people, including the kids and the family. You can’t let things get you down. I come from a strong Christian family and believe in the grace of God. I’m one that has been blessed thanks to someone who donated a heart.”
David with his wife Charlene
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Carl
celeb
Kidney Transplant Recipient
Carl of Kettering, Ohio, had a kidney transplant in 2003 after nine years on dialysis. Since his transplant, he and his wife, Louise, are making up for time lost to his illness.
“Louise and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in 2012,” says Carl, 71. “Since my transplant, we’ve had two great-grandchildren and have traveled to more than a dozen states, attended a granddaughter’s wedding, a family reunion and other events. I think if I hadn’t gotten a transplant when I did, I’d have died within a couple of years. The doctors at Ohio State, along with the donation from my daughter-in-law, have given me more years and made my wife very happy.”
ever Carl with his wife Louise
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ebrate Larry
Heart and Kidney Transplant Recipient
In 2002, Larry’s kidneys began to fail. As he was awaiting a kidney transplant, his doctor discovered heart damage so severe that Larry needed a heart transplant as well.
“He said there wasn’t much he could do for me. He more or less told me to pack my bags and go home,” he says. But at 51, Dawson wasn’t about to give up. “I asked if there was someone else who could help me and he referred me to Ohio State.” At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, doctors had a different message. “They checked me out and the doctor there said, ‘I think I can help you,’” Dawson says. Three years later, in 2005, Dawson got his transplants — a new heart, then hours later, a kidney from the same donor. Now, at 61, Dawson says, “I’m feeling great. I do everything now. I’m never home.”
erything
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Anthony
hope
Heart Transplant Recipient
Anthony is the angel guy at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Twelve years ago, Anthony had what he calls a “slight” heart attack. Another followed a year later, and doctors implanted a stent, then a defibrillator. Finally, his doctors told Anthony he needed a heart transplant. Before his surgery, on May 22, 2010, his mother gave him a little angel. That angel on his shoulder, with help from his cardiac team, gave him both a new heart, and a new mission.
Since his recovery, he prowls The Ohio State University Heart and Vascular Center’s halls, bringing hope to patients who are where he was — sick with failing hearts, maybe a little scared, waiting to get better. He visits heart patients two or three times a week, and each gets an angel. “I must have given out 150,” he says. “That’s what the Lord put on my mind and it seems to help people.”
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David
Kidney Transplant Recipient
David was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease when he was 25. Eventually, the disease progressed to the point that David needed dialysis and a transplant. He began dialysis when he was 45 and four months later, doctors removed one of his kidneys and placed him on the transplant list. After a successful kidney transplant, David moved to Columbus, Ohio, and began receiving care at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “I was very fortunate to get in with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center,” David says. “All of my doctors are associated with Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center which makes it easier for them to communicate and network with each other about my care.”
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strong Mark
Heart Transplant Recipient
In May 2007 Mark of Zanesville was having an ultrasound to detect kidney stones, when the technician noted fluid in his lungs. “The doctors ran a heart catheter and found five blockages in my heart,” he recalls. “They sent me directly to Ohio State.” Once at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, physicians confirmed his heart had four 100 percent blockages, and one 75 percent blockage. “They did quadruple bypass surgery, but couldn’t take me off the bypass machine. Three days later they implanted a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).”
Mark was added to the transplant waiting list on December 26, 2007. Ten days later he got his new heart. Aside from taking a year to recover from meningitis, “everything is great now,” he reports, noting that he’s strong enough to cut firewood. Mark says he travels to Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center weekly to attend the LVAD/Heart Transplant Support Group. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
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Gina
Kidney Transplant Recipient
Gina got her groove back – her creative groove, that is. She felt like she’d lost it during the two years she was on kidney dialysis due to polycystic kidney disease. Then she received a kidney transplant in August 2010. About nine months post-transplant, she started to feel normal again. “My brain started clicking the way it used to, and I have a new attitude and passion for life. I want to make the most of my creative energy,” says the video editor and producer. “I’m focused on rebuilding my strength so I can get back to working. I feel braver about the artistic work I want to do. I don’t want to waste any time.”
Gina (left) with partner Helen (right)
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John Samantha
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
John has hereditary polycystic kidney disease, a condition which causes the kidneys to become enlarged and unable to eliminate waste from the body. He knew his kidneys would fail one day. When that time came, his daughter, Samantha, was by his side, ready to donate a kidney.
“I didn’t have to die to be able to help someone through organ donation,” she says. “We have the means to help each other through living donation.” Samantha’s donated kidney is functioning well, and John is back to his teaching job. “It feels good to know I could help him and he can continue teaching and helping kids. One person can do a good thing and cause another person to do more good things.”
Father and daughter
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thing Georgia
Heart Transplant Recipient
Georgia has restarted many hearts in her life.
But it took surgeons at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center to give the former paramedic a new start – with a new heart.
When Georgia, 62, first complained of chest pains, doctors said it was hormonal changes. Eventually, they discovered an irregular heart rhythm and, when her condition deteriorated, sent her to Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center. There Dr. Ayesha Hasan told Georgia she urgently needed a heart transplant. “She said, ‘Your heart is barely working,’” Georgia recalls. On April 2, 2010, Georgia got her transplant. Just before surgery, a hospital staffer recognized her, saying: “‘I was one of your paramedic students.’” Milburn says while teaching future paramedics, she rarely gave Fs. “I wasn’t worried, but I sure hoped she’d gotten an A!” Georgia says her entire cardiac team earned an A+, especially Dr. Hasan. “I love her to pieces.”
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cheris Lisa
Kidney Transplant Recipient
Lisa from Cincinnati received a kidney transplant at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in 2006. Her kidneys had failed without her ever really feeling sick. She was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in 1998 and was on dialysis for six years. Now that she has a second chance at life, she is protective of her new kidney. She even sleeps with her hand on her abdomen. “I can’t sleep unless I put my hand over the kidney,” she says. “I want to take care of it and cherish this second chance that the donor and Ohio State gave me.”
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ish Mary
Kidney, Bone Tissue Transplant Recipient
Mary had two compelling reasons to improve her health with a kidney transplant: her daughters, who were preteens at the time. “A transplant meant life for me and being able to see my girls grow up,” says Mary, 56. “They’re happy I was able to receive the great gift of a transplant.” Mary received a kidney in 1995. She had another type of transplant surgery in 2001 – bone tissue to treat a collapsed disk in her neck and another compelling reason to be grateful. “Without the bone tissue transplant in my neck,” Mary says, “I would have had permanent nerve damage and not been able to pick up and hold my grandson, Matthias. That’s a great thing for a grandma to be able to do.”
Mary with husband Brian
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Anne Billy
Kidney Transplant Recipient
hero Living Kidney Donor
Anne gave life to her son Billy. In 2008, he returned the favor by donating a kidney. Billy says matter‐of‐factly, “You have two kidneys and you only need one.” It seems only fitting that Anne’s homecoming from the hospital was Mother’s Day. They celebrated by dancing to the song “Hero,” at his wedding and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Mother and son
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Joanne
Heart Transplant Recipient
A photo of 10-year-old David travels with Joanne everywhere she goes. “He’s adorable,” she says. The boy Joanne keeps so close to her heart became her heart donor 21 years ago, and his heart still beats in her chest today. Diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, Joanne was in her mid-50s when she became a patient at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. She was the 68th patient, and one of the first women, to receive a heart transplant there on February 23, 1991. Nineteen years later, Joanne reached out to her donor’s family. When they met in 2009, David’s mother shared his picture and the story of his passing. “He fell off his bike, causing a brain aneurysm. He never regained consciousness,” Joanne recounts. “They’re delightful people and I’m so glad I found them. I thank God every day.” Joanne adds, “and I think of David every day, too.”
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encour Brother and sister
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uraging Aaron Jocelyn
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
Aaron was diagnosed with glomerulonephritis in 2006 which was a shock to everyone because he had always been healthy. Once physicians figured out how far it had progressed, he began taking medications. When his kidney function got worse, he was told to go on dialysis or have a kidney transplant. Aaron’s family and even some friends educated themselves and got tested to be potential matches. While Aaron was on dialysis, he and his younger sister, Jocelyn, were roommates. “It was hard to watch the toll it took on his health,” Jocelyn says. She was found to be the best match, and donated her kidney to her brother in 2009. “I was excited to help,” Jocelyn says. “There’s something encouraging about knowing you’re giving somebody another life.” “It’s like she brought me out of a burning house,” Aaron says. “And it sounds cliché, but I really do get a second chance.”
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miracl Ray
Heart Transplant Recipient
In May 2008, Ray was referred to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center by his previous cardiac physician who said, “They perform miracles,” Ray recalls.
Although he initially resisted the implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), Ray relented after the bypass he’d insisted upon did not work. “I love to fly fish, but you’re not allowed to wade into a river with an LVAD,” he explains. By the end of 2010, Ray needed a heart transplant. Six months later, after qualifying as a non-smoker, Ray’s donor heart was ready for him just 12 hours after he was placed on the waiting list. He received his transplant on July 9, 2011. Since then, he’s been able to go off oxygen, is no longer diabetic and is pursuing a new career in mystery shopping. And, most importantly to Ray, he’s fly fishing once again.
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cles When Mary’s husband, Buck, developed kidney problems and was progressing to kidney failure, Mary turned to the doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center – and to her students at Blessed Sacrament School, where she serves as principal.
Buck Mary
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
Mary hoped to give Buck a kidney but knew the odds were low that they would be compatible. Still, she began testing and kept the faith. “All of my students were praying for us to match,” Mary says. “My first-graders made me a prayer shawl that I would wrap around myself during testing.” Fortunately, Mary, 64, and Buck, 66, were a match. Ronald Pelletier, MD and Mitchell Henry, MD performed the transplant in June 2010. “We can’t say enough good things about Ohio State,” Mary says. “Our care was excellent and they were so good to us.” Mary and Buck celebrated his muchimproved health with an Alaskan vacation. Mary encourages anyone considering donating a kidney to do so. She says, “You can help someone have a normal life.”
aith Husband and wife
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Greg Susan
Kidney Transplant Recipient
teamw Living Kidney Donor
Husband-and-wife pilots Greg and Susan have enjoyed flying together throughout their marriage. But following years of diabetes and a heart attack, Greg was too ill to fly or do much of anything else. “Doctors told me my kidneys were failing,” he says.
Greg, 71, went through several months of dialysis before he found a kidney donor: his co-pilot, Susan. Susan said the transplant team at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Transplant Center walked them through every step to get them ready for transplant surgery in June 2010. Greg says his experience was wonderful. “I think Ohio State is the best hospital I’ve ever been in, and let me tell you, I’ve been in a lot of them,” he says. “I’ve had 27 operations, so I’m an authority.” In addition to his kidney care, Greg recently moved all of his medical care to Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center. He explains, “I like that the doctors have all of my information right there and work as a team.”
Husband and wife
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mwork Ed
Kidney Transplant Recipient
Ed never imagined that contracting strep throat as a child would lead to a diagnosis of kidney disease. Sixty years later, he learned that because of the bacterial infection, his kidneys had shrunk over the years and were nearly non-functioning. Testing at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center revealed that Ed’s daughter was a near-perfect match. In 2003 he underwent a successful transplant thanks to his daughter’s special gift. Today Ed and his daughter’s kidney are still going strong. His days often start at 4 a.m. and are filled with work and volunteer activities. “I feel so blessed,” he says.
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appreci Christie Barbara
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
Christie never imagined that having high blood pressure would lead to a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease. She was 30, newly married and looking forward to starting a family. Kidney disease put those plans at risk. Thanks to a match and the willingness of her mother to unselfishly give in the way mothers do, Christie had a successful kidney transplant at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center on Jan. 6, 2006. And thanks to her mother’s gift, Christie is looking forward to being a mother someday too.
“I’m so appreciative of what my mother did,” she says. “I’m much more health conscious now; I watch what I eat and exercise more. I try to take care of the gift she gave me.”
Daughter and mother, Christie (right) with mom Barbara (left)
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jo
ciative Michael
Heart Transplant Recipient
Michael knew his heart transplant would change his life. “On the day of my operation, my emotions were mixed,” he says. “I was filled with joy and scared at the same time. It was an amazing day with no sorrow. The nurses, doctors and everyone kept sticking their heads in the room and congratulating us.” “This has been an amazing journey,” Michael says. “I would not trade it for anything. It’s more than just the heart – it’s the journey that me and my wife have been on. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world.” Michael’s unique insight has helped him blaze the trail for others facing transplant. He and his wife are advocates of organ donation and support the American Heart Association doing what they can to help people with heart disease.
joy
Michael with wife Kathy and their granddaughter
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libera Lisa
Kidney Transplant Recipient
Lisa, 55, was born with malformations in her renal system. She had surgery to correct the problem, but the damage was irreversible. When Lisa was 40, she began nine years of kidney dialysis. In 2005, she received a transplant from her son, Richard. The effects on Lisa’s health were immediate. “The day after transplant, I felt better and could see and think more clearly,” she says. Five months later, she and her husband celebrated with a cruise to the Bahamas. “Before the transplant, there’s no way I could have gone on the trip. It’s liberating to not worry about a rigid dialysis schedule. Life is so much better now. I can do anything I want at any time. I’m always on the go.”
Lisa with husband Richard
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ating Albert
Heart Transplant Recipient
In early October 2003, Albert of Whitehall woke up one morning and knew something wasn’t right. He turned to his wife and asked her to call 911. “I thought I was having a heart attack, but when the paramedics arrived they said everything seemed fine and asked me what I wanted to do,” he recalls. “I asked them to take me to the hospital because God told me something just wasn’t right.”
Pannell had several arteries blocked from 80 to 100 percent. He was promptly admitted, and shortly after transferred to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. There, surgeons implanted a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). But it wasn’t enough to repair the damage. On January 23, 2004 he received a new heart. “Everyone there was just great during my stay in the hospital,” he says. “I had wonderful nurses and patient care assistants.”
Albert with wife Barbara
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health
Carol
Kidney Transplant Recipient
At age 17, Carol was diagnosed with chronic glomerulonephritis – inflammation of the tiny filters (glomeruli) in the kidneys. Her condition worsened until her kidney function was less than five percent and she required dialysis. It was through Carol’s work as an early childhood specialist that she met fellow teacher Janet Patrick. They became friends and “kidney sisters” when Janet donated a kidney to Carol in 2000.
Ronald Pelletier, MD and Elmahdi Elkhammas, MD performed Carol’s transplant surgery at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. It was one of the first laparoscopic procedures performed there. The “sisters” started swimming together daily. Carol began competing in the U.S. Transplant Games and the World Transplant Games. While she admits winning is great, it’s about more than medals. “It’s what you had to do to get there, from getting yourself healthy, training, and dealing with the emotional issues of transplant – you want to make your donor proud.”
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Jason Nick
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
When Jason’s wife posted a request for a donor on Facebook, Nick answered the call without hesitation. Even though they didn’t know each other, Nick knew that he didn’t want Jason’s kids to grow up without a father. As Nick says, “regardless of color or creed, we’re all put here to help each other.”
Friends, Nick (left) and Jason (right)
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supp Mike
Heart Transplant Recipient
Mike and his wife Patricia both remember the day his 20 years of heart problems culminated in a transplant at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
His wife says, when the call came July 13, 2010, Mike was the only calm one in the house. “That 13 was a lucky day,” he notes. It was also the day a motorized scooter they ordered was delivered. By then, Mike could hardly walk on his own. Since his transplant there have been struggles, but Mike has the help of his family and medical team. Often, it’s hard to tell the two apart. “I have a good support staff,” Mike jokes. “My wife’s been in nursing 50-some years, and one daughter is a cardiac nurse.” Now, at 66, Mike is growing stronger. And that scooter? He takes it on long excursions only. “Otherwise it’s drawing dust in the garage,” he says.
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pport Bob Tawnya
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
Bob and Tawnya met in college in – of all places – a kidney lab. It’s a good thing he shared his microscope and patiently waited for his first kiss. As fate would have it, years later she would donate a kidney to help Bob combat kidney disease that likely stemmed from a childhood sickness.
Husband and wife
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Jane
speci Kidney Transplant Recipient
Jane, 63, received her kidney transplant on Mother’s Day 2010. The day was special for her because her mother died from kidney disease when Jane was 15, and dialysis and transplant weren’t available. Jane lost her right kidney to cancer and she’s grateful for the advances in medicine since her mother’s death. Those advances have made it possible for her to enjoy her family, which has increased by two members since her transplant. “I have two grandchildren now and was present at one of the births,” she says. “I even got to cut the umbilical cord for one of them. I’m grateful to have received a donor kidney.”
Jane with husband Mike
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Beth Marsheen
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Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
While working for the Columbus chapter of the National Kidney Foundation in 2007, Marsheen learned that the daughter of a church friend needed a kidney. Without hesitation, Marsheen volunteered to be a donor to Beth. The two were found to be a great match. “I see my donation as being a Good Samaritan,” Marsheen says. “I’m doing what I can to help someone have a better life.” Beth is confident they will be lifelong friends. “We work on opposite ends of town and have busy lives. But my family and I will always be grateful for what she’s done. We both follow each other on Facebook and talk through e-mail.”
Friends, Beth (left) and Marsheen (right)
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When Bob was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in 1994, he was shocked. His only symptom was shortness of breath in the middle of the night. “A specialist listened to my heart for 30 seconds, then told me my working days were over,” he recalls. “My heart was only operating at 15 percent.”
Bob
Heart Transplant Recipient
Bob transferred to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where, in February 2006, he had mitral valve and pacemaker/defibrillator replacements. As his health stabilized, he became a prime candidate for a transplant. Five years later, Bob chokes up remembering he waited just nine hours for his donor heart, implanted November 17, 2006. “When I woke up from the surgery, I felt like a new person, praise the Lord,” he says. The transplant lets him pursue his favorite activities, including golf, cutting wood, and singing Karaoke to entertain nursing home residents and attendees of the Heart Transplant and Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Reunion.
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Michael Mary
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
well
Michael was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary disease that would lead to the removal of both his kidneys. Mary, Michael’s wife and a nurse, immediately stepped up to be tested as a kidney donor and, fortunately, she was a match. After the removal of both Michael’s kidneys, each the size of a football weighing a total of 16 pounds, he went on dialysis for a month prior to the transplant surgery to regain his strength. In September of 2009 the transplant took place, and since then both Michael and Mary have been doing well. “I never knew what it meant to feel well until after the transplant,” Michael says. “I can do everything I want to and eat anything I want.” Mary and Michael have been married for 26 years.
person Husband and wife
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Chad Rick
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Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
While Chad still isn’t sure how he ended up in renal failure, he is sure he can count on his brother. Rick jokes, “If this doesn’t work, I’m not doing it again. I’m just glad they took the kidney I didn’t like.” All brotherly joking aside, he says, “He’s my brother and he’s family. If he needs it, he’s got it. It’s what family does.”
Brothers, Chad (right) and Rick (left)
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ily gift Kathy Jill
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
Kathy, 55, says daughter Jill was the “family troublemaker” when she was growing up. But Jill more than made up for all of the trouble she caused when she donated a kidney to Kathy.
Kathy had been diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis – a rare disease where scar tissue forms in glomeruli, or filters, of the kidneys. “My kidneys were dying,” she explains. Jill was the only one of Kathy’s three children who was a match for transplant. Still, Kathy wasn’t convinced she should accept Jill’s kidney. “What if something would happen to her kidney, or if she wouldn’t be able to have children?” Kathy says. “But she told me, ‘Mom, you gave me life and now you need me. So I’m giving this gift to you.’” Mitchell Henry, MD performed the transplant at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in January 2006. “Our experience at Ohio State was great,” Kathy says. “What a wonderful hospital!”
Mother and daughter, Kathy (left) and Jill (right)
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nate Kim Craig
Kidney Transplant Recipient Living Kidney Donor
When Kim of Zanesville was diagnosed with Buerger’s disease, a disease of the kidneys, her two children volunteered to be tested for kidney donor matching. Kim’s son Craig turned out to be the best match. “I wasn’t really scared for myself,” Kim says. “I was more scared for Craig, and he was more scared for me. My husband was a nervous wreck for both of us.” For Craig, the decision to donate wasn’t really a decision at all. “It’s my mom,” he says. “I wouldn’t be here without her. I just said ‘Yes.’”
Mother and son
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Supporting Our Mission
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But for Ohio State, more than 7,500 patients would not have received a lifesaving transplant in central Ohio. The Comprehensive Transplant Center at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center is central Ohio’s only adult transplant center and a world leader in transplant care and research. The success we have achieved has been made possible in large part to the generous contributions of individuals, foundations and corporations that believe in our program and want to help us provide the very best experience to our patients and their families.
Please support our mission to transform people’s lives through innovation in research, education and patient care. You have the power to help us provide even more lifesaving organ transplants to those waiting patiently for them, giving them renewed hope for longer, healthier lives. Together, we can create the future of medicine. Visit giveto.osu.edu/transplant to make an online donation today.
From annual gifts to volunteerism, there are countless ways you can make a difference in the lives of others. To discover the method of giving that’s best for you, contact: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Development and Alumni Affairs P.O. Box 183112 660 Ackerman Rd. Columbus, OH 43218-3112 614-293-2504 annualgiving@osumc.edu
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Visit transplant.osu.edu for more information on transplantation or becoming a living kidney donor. To learn more about organ donation and donor registration, visit Lifeline of Ohio at lifelineofohio.org.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Comprehensive Transplant Center 770 Kinnear Rd., Suite 100 Columbus, OH 43212 Abdominal Transplant (Kidney, Liver, Pancreas) 614-293-6724 800-293-8965 Heart Transplant 614-293-3787 800-538-1886
54 Š 2012 The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center UHOS20120166