May 26 - Recipient
Brenda Wolfe, 44
Mt. Airy, Maryland
Brenda Wolfe of Mt. Airy, Maryland, was having a medical workup last year for an unrelated medical procedure when her doctors discovered that her kidneys were not functioning properly. Out of the blue, she was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder that was rapidly destroying her kidneys. Within six months, she had to be put on dialysis seven –days- a- week. Her doctors told her that she was in stage 5 renal failure and she would need a kidney transplant to survive. “My husband Ralph immediately wanted to donate, but he was not a match. It really took the air out of our balloon when we learned that he couldn’t donate to me and that we’d now be dependent on someone else. So we came to this exchange and were getting ready for it when I was told I had a perfect match from a deceased donor somewhere in the United States. It was amazing, like I had a perfect twin somewhere. I’m just so thankful to my donors and the donors’ family. Words can’t even cover how grateful I am for their generosity. I’m also proud of my husband for staying in this exchange. Ultimately it was his decision. But now, someone else in my position will get a second chance just like I did.”
