DeEbra Randall – Kidney Transplant Recipient

My name is DeEbra Randall and I am a two-time kidney transplant recipient.  In 1978, at the age of 17, I experienced kidney failure.  Doctors didn’t know what caused my kidneys to fail because I did not have kidney disease.  When my kidneys were removed they had deteriorated to small, knot-looking shapes. 

In 1979, after six months of dialysis, I received my first kidney transplant.  For 15 years that donated kidney functioned well and without many complications.  However, in early 1994 that kidney began to fail and once again I was placed on the national waiting list for a life-saving transplant.  Fortunately, later that year I received my second kidney transplant.

I have lived a good life because of my two donors.  These people, who I will never know, understood the importance of organ donation and shared their decisions with their families.  Because of their generosity my life has been saved, not once but two times, through kidney transplants.

I encourage all Kentuckians to learn more about this issue and to register as organ donors by joining Kentucky’s Organ Donor Registry.