Paired Kidney Transplant: A Donor's Story

On April 21, 2010, Casey Campbell donated her left kidney at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. The kidney was donated part of a six-person paired kidney transplant "chain," in which three recipients and three donors were cross-matched. One of the participants was a friend of hers, Howard Irving Scott, III, of Macon, Georgia. Although Campbell's kidney did not go to Scott, her participation in the program made the "chain" transplant possible, saving Scott the possibility of waiting five years on a kidney.

RECIPIENT Howard Irving Scott's story here:
Paired Kidney Transplant: A Patient's Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSKCM2NTPw0

Background

The Emory Kidney Transplant Program provides state-of-the-art evaluation, medical and surgical treatment, and follow-up care for patients approaching or at end stage renal disease (ESRD). Although not considered a cure for patients with ESRD, kidney transplantation offers preferable alternatives to dialysis for many patients.

Emory's Kidney Transplant Program ranks as one of the most prestigious solid organ transplant programs in the Southeast and in the country. In 1966, Emory performed Georgia's first kidney transplant, and our program continues to expand with kidney transplantation increasing to approximately 150 deceased donor and living donor transplants each year. Additionally, our survival rates are among the highest in the country as the school at Emory is constantly devising new strategies through research methods to prevent organ rejection.

For Donors

The generous act of donating a kidney can be an incredible and rewarding experience for everyone involved. Kidney transplantation can improve the length and quality of the recipient's life and strengthen the feeling of closeness between the recipient and the donor. Donation is an important decision, which involves potential benefits and risks.

The Emory transplant team will evaluate each potential donor very carefully. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Emory transplant coordinator at 404-727-3250 or toll free 1-866-727-3250. Additional information regarding transplantation can be found at http://www.unos.org.

The following information is provided to help you understand Emory's living donor process:

http://emoryhealthcare.org/transplant-center/kidney-transplant/living-donor-p...

Related Links

Emory Kidney Transplant & Transplantation Program
http://emoryhealthcare.org/transplant-center/kidney-transplant/index.html

Changing nature's course
http://whsc.emory.edu/home/publications/health-sciences/emory-health/winter10...

Video: "Domino' Liver Transplant at Emory
http://whsc.emory.edu/home/multimedia/videos/domino-liver-transplant.html

Living Donor Program
http://emoryhealthcare.org/transplant-center/kidney-transplant/living-donor-p...

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• paired kidney transplant
• kidney transplant
• living donor transplant
• renal failure
• renal disease
• dialysis
• emory healthcare
• emory university
• emory university hospital
• transplant chain
• transplantation
• organ donation
• organ donor
• kidney patient
• kidney recipient
• atlanta medicine
• kidney donor

[shinesthrudarain]

an amazing amazing woman God bless u

[EmoryUniversity]

@shinesthrudarain Yes, she does seem to have an extraordinary, generous nature. However, she also seems to think that the choice she made is quite obvious.

[lisamgoldberg]

Thanks for writing back! 3 days before I was scheduled for donation my father found out he needed a quad bypass surgery, so now the transplant has been postponed to the new year. I am getting re tested Tuesday to see if I am still a match since my father had several blood transfusions. Thanks again for writing back! Glad you are feeling great!

[adialosdia1]

@lisamgoldberg I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner! If you donated in July, I'm sure you're doing great by now!

In case anyone else is looking at this with the same question, I was definitely a mess after surgery. The recovery for the first couple of weeks is hard, not just because it hurts (it does for a while!) but because you feel so helpless! But after that first couple of weeks, it gets better fast! within a few months I was back to dance classes, and now I'm stronger than I ever was. :)

[lisamgoldberg]

Casey, how did you feel after surgury. I may be donating to my father in July and am a bit nervous.

[mouzouki]

God bless you! If everybody was like you, the world would be so much better!

[bluegrasskayak]

I found your story compelling and wanted to tell you so. My friends are riding accross the country to Madison Wisconsin to the Transplant Games to raise awareness for Organ Donation. Their group is called cycle for organdonation