Sue- Recipient mom

When my son was 14 he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. In his senior year of high school, after 3 years of medical treatment, he elected to have surgical intervention involving total colectomy followed 2 months later with reversal of his ileostomy. He was 17.

It was 1993. in 2008 he was diagnosed with PSC which led to complete liver failure. He was placed on the list for liver transplant in 2010. Then began my worst fears and strongest prayers. I realized he was in the fight of his life and was afraid he would die before a suitable donor could be found. I managed to put in the back of mind the fact that someone would have to die to make that happen. It was fairly abstract to me. My concern was my son.

Approximately 6 months later he was placed at the top of the transplant list and days later he got the call to go immediately to the hospital. A possible donor had been found. Our elation was off the charts. But this was a dangerous operation. So now we had a whole new set of prayers to give to God.

At this point we knew nothing about his donor other than they were close to our location. But now it’s real and I knew another family was grieving. I believe that same night a child received a kidney from our donor. I try to imagine the loss that family suffered and the generosity of faith and spirit that led them to donate life to my son and someone else’s child. I’m at a loss. I do know that for as long as I live I will be forever grateful.