I also want to tell you about a really cool thing that is happening with an organization I work for, called the Alliance for Paired Donation.

Last Friday (July 18) marked the first anniversary of the world’s first NEAD (Never-Ending Altruistic Donor) chain, wherein Matt Jones, a then-28-year-old donor from Petoskey, Michigan sparked a chain of ten kidney transplants, with more on the way.
Building on the traditional method of paired exchanges, whereby kidney patients who have a willing but incompatible donor are matched with others in a similar situation, the Alliance uses altruistic (or “good Samaritan”) donors to begin a chain of transplants that can be performed in a step-wise fashion, rather than having to be performed simultaneously.

So here’s the way it unfolded: on July 18, 2007, Matt Jones of Petoskey traveled to Phoenix to donate a kidney to Barb Bunnell, a 53-year-old grandmother whose husband, Ron, wanted to donate but was incompatible. On July 26, Ron flew to Toledo, Ohio, where he donated a kidney to Angie Heckman, a 32-year-old woman who had been receiving kidney dialysis treatments three times a week for 11 years. The chain continued with Angie’s mom donating a kidney two months later, and there have now been ten people transplanted in five different states as a result of Matt’s initial gift.

Angie Heckman, the second recipient in the chain, recently traveled to Pittsburg for the Transplant Games, where she competed and won a bronze medal in racquetball. Matt and his new wife, Meghan, who celebrated their honeymoon at the Games, were on hand to participate in the 5k run. Matt also had the opportunity to present Angie with her bronze medal.

Bob, thanks for letting me use your comment section as a way to do a bit of self-promotion – I hope you find this idea of “paying it forward” as intriguing as I do. Please keep up the good work you are doing.
Laurie

I am sorry to hear about your struggle with oxycotin and admire both your ability to recognize it and your strength and determination to overcome it. Your recognition in the importance of this to honor your donor is very admirable. My prayers are with you and Robin at this difficult time. I know you will get through it, but if it gives you a small about of comfort, please know I am thinking of you.

Your friend,
Susan