My name is Addie and I donated my right kidney at age 24 to one of my best friends, Amy, in May 2014. Amy has an autoimmune disease called lupus that attacked and destroyed her kidneys, and she was on dialysis for 3 years. By a miracle of God, we were a near perfect kidney match!
Today we are both doing great. I just finished my first post-transplant half marathon (less than 6 months later) and am planning to do a lot more running, hiking, swimming, and traveling this year. I’m staying hydrated and eating well to make sure I continue to feel great and rock one kidney!
I would encourage anyone who is considering living kidney donation to be your own advocate, do a lot of research, and pray a lot if you are a person of faith. Ask lots of questions. It is a huge decision, one that can be emotionally taxing at times, but it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and has been totally worth the challenge! Seeing Amy feeling great and knowing that she can be dialysis-free brings me joy!
What an amazing friendship you share with Amy, Addie! Thank you for sharing your inspiring story, and good luck with all of your athletic training! Rock on!