Donating
Spares Needed!2023 was a very busy and rewarding year.
It started in January with Lynn’s kidney donation at UWHealth in Madison, WI that ended a 26 month COVID related delay. Ultimately, Lynn was able to provide a National Kidney Registry voucher to 2-year-old Cooper Thompson in Minnesota, giving him highest priority on the wait list for a living kidney transplant. Lynn’s recovery went very, very, well.
On March 2, Cooper got his kidney! His living donor is a young woman, Ali, in the Twin Cities who decided she would altruistically donate a kidney, and happened to be an excellent match to Cooper. Cooper has had his challenges since then, but at this time is doing well and discovering what it’s like to be an active toddler. We’re blessed to have been able to see all four of the Thompsons (Eric, Katie, big sister Evelyn, and Cooper) throughout the year.
The 1,600 mile TOT 4.5 was exhilarating, humbling, exhausting, exciting, and emotional. It was the first time we’d gone into dialysis centers and met patients and heard their stories. It was the first time we toured an Organ Procurement Organization and saw their bereavement and recovery rooms. We talked with several Angel Moms, who lost their children but then claimed something positive from their tragedies by donating their childrens’ organs and tissue. We met transplant staff and physicians that are in the trenches every day, and we met those who are awaiting their own lifesaving transplants. We were fortunate throughout the ride to stay with family, friends, and new friends.
Lubbock, Texas.
Pictured with donors, recipients, hospital, and OPO staff.
Along our rides, we do our best to meet with locals who are trying to get their story out for their need of an organ transplant.
Pat received a kidney from a friend of his wife Nancy a few months after this photo was taken.
Photo credit: Michael Ortiz
Along the way, we learned of an interest by The Today Show, which turned into 4 hours of taping and interviews while we were in Louisiana and culminated in us being on the program on April 26. They knocked our socks off when they brought out first Hugh and then the Thompsons. It was the first time we met Cooper! Such a fun experience, made sweeter by having our son Nick in town with us, our niece Shanice who lives in NYC, and old and new friends from the kidney community. We also did a little sightseeing, as it was my first time in the Big Apple.
Home for three weeks, then off to Los Angeles for my liver donation, which happened on May 25 at USC Keck Hospital. Everything went well, and eight days later we were able to travel across town to LA Children’s Hospital to meet 9-month-old Selena and her parents. Selena is doing beautifully.
Selena is definitely keeping an eye on me!
The end of June, it was back to NYC for us, for the National Kidney Registry annual Gala in recognition of living kidney donors and transplant personnel.
September was another bike ride for me, this one in conjunction with the Knights of Columbus in support of their Father Mullen’s Adoption Initiative. We used the format of The Organ Trail to create awareness with a bike ride, contact media (Jennie Heinz), and lodge with and meet locals one on one. It was an 8-day ride of 460 miles. TOT stalwarts Tim and Linda Mullen joined in again at about the halfway point (fun times!). Dave Pramann, who has also ridden with us on earlier TOT rides, rode the entire 8 days with me. His wife Mary was along for parts of the ride, with their adopted 6-year-old twins Lue and Chue, and 2-year-old Auti adding some spice.
My motivation for this ride is simply that adoption is an option to abortion that saves human lives.
Then off to New York for our 3rd time this year! This trip was to Long Island, again for an organ donation function as recipients of the Heart’s for Russ Donor Family Award.
I headed back to Texas in early October for….you guessed it….another bike ride! Lone Star Circle of Life, an organ & tissue donation organization, invited me to be their Honorary Texan for their bi-annual awareness ride. This was also an 8-day ride, with 500+ miles logged.
It was an EXTREMELY busy year, but so rewarding.
We don’t see 2024 being near as busy, but there will be a TOT 5.0 as we highlight the routes of Lynn’s kidney donation, with her kidney going to someone in need in Illinois and her voucher going to Cooper in Minnesota, so stay tuned.
Cooper and Selena signing off for us in 2023, see you in 2024.😊
