I donated my kidney a year ago to a stranger. I tried to help someone else who ended up getting a kidney from another source. After knowing I was approved to donate I couldn’t walk away so I decided to donate my kidney altruistically. This was the best decision of my life. I was able to save someone’s life and in the process made an amazing new friend.
The surgery and recovery went better than I expected and two weeks after our surgery my recipient and I met. Tara has polycystic kidney disease and had at surgery time tumors on both kidneys weighing 30 pounds each! Needless to say her life was agony. I am so happy that my decision to help Tara changed her life and ultimately mine too.
This past year since surgery I have also donated blood four times and donated my hair to Locks of Love. I have lost over 30 pounds and I walk every day to keep my healthy new look up! Most of all I have made a new friend and we are forever connected by a surgery that changed both of our lives.
– Laura Michael Karas
Laura, you really do embody the word “altruistic”! It’s so wonderful that the surgeries went so well and inspiring that you continue to help others through blood donation and even hair! Congratulations on losing weight and keeping it off! Thanks for setting such an inspiring example for us all! Best wishes to you and Tara for continued good health – rock on!