Monday, June 15, 2009

Why I Am Donating A Kidney

In about a week, I am donating my kidney. It will be transplanted into a complete stranger, but in doing so, one of my co-workers will get a kidney as well. There was not a single event that brought me to this decision, but rather it was more like a journey - a journey that began 10 years ago in a Fell's Point bar with a phone number on a napkin.

I am the vice president of Human Resources at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Health System. It is an extraordinary place in the heart of Baltimore. My job brings me in contact with many of the over 9000 people who work at the hospital. So I was in a position to hear about one specific employee's need.

How Did I Make This Decision

About 10 years ago, ABC did a documentary called Hopkins 24/7. I was invited to the wrap party and started a conversation with one of the physicians featured in the series. The physician was Bob Montgomery, Director of our transplant programs. I told Bob that I had spent time in the operating rooms and would love to see a transplant. He took a napkin from the bar and wrote down his beeper number. He said that most Tuesdays they did a live donor transplant and I could come and watch. (Observers are discourage in the ORs, but at that time, it was allowed). He said I could beep him when I found a free Tuesday and he would arrange it. So the week between Christmas and New Years that year I beeped him and was able to watch this extraordinary procedure.

I remember that day in great detail. I literally cried when I saw the transplanted kidney "pee" for the first time. I was even more impressed when I passed the recovery room and the donor was already sitting up talking while Bob was still closing the recipient. I still remember asking how the donor was related and hearing them say that he was a friend of the recipient. I always thought of donors as being a family member.

It made a big impression on me that a friend would give his kidney.

A few years later, I was asked to be the speaker at a minority donors' celebration. In order to write my remarks, I had to do some research. For the first time, I learned about the extreme need for kidney transplants and the lack of donors. So I mentioned to Bob that I might be interested in being a donor. He said that I would make a good altruistic donor. An altruistic donor is one who gives their kidney to anyone who needs it without designating anyone as their recipient. Altruistic donors give in the purest way imaginable.

I thought about it, but decided that I wasn't ready for that. It was important to me to have some connection to the person to whom I was donating. So I began to wait and wait and wait. I am not sure how I thought I was going to find someone who wanted my kidney. Maybe I wasn't truly ready yet.

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. I have already learned so much about kidney donation. Best of luck to both of you!

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  2. I went to your building yesterday and was told about this...Pamela you have always been so inspirational...you have something really special...God Bless you..if I ever knew anyone who should blog or tweet it is you...folks want to know what maks someone like you "tick"...love you! sally jo

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  3. am i crazy to just be giving away my kidney? i know it will save some ones life, but everyone i tell thinks i am a nut for just giving one away.

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    1. I think your Awesome!...
      You are not a nut:) your a very special person to do something like that!... I am waiting for someone like you...God Bless you...

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  5. yo como pamela quiero dar un riñon como le hago para ponerme en contacto con personas que hasi lo requieran mi tipo de sangre es O+ tengo 45 años y estoy sano quiero dar vida en vida.
    por si alguien quiere ponesse en contacto conmigo
    mi mail; lavida-vivirla@live.com.mx

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  6. My name is Josh Stuart and i just turned 18 on Oct. 5. I too am very interested in donating a kidney. I don't know of anyone who needs one right now, but I'm still planing on doing so. I think that my calling in life is to help people, and I think this is a start...Thank you for your thoughts and for listening.

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    1. Joshua ...
      My name is bill i am 40 and on dialysis 3 times a week sometimes it is very painful but the most challenging is being a patient.... I have always taking care of my wife and children but now I'm on Medicare and a patient... So much for me I wanted to tell you am very moved by what you wrote... I'm very thankful for people like you in the world...God Bless

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