This is Marsheen Campbell.
She donated her kidney to Bethany, the young mother you just met.
Marsheen answered the call for a church member.
Jackie Wright was a match for her sister, Benita, and Riley Merrimen heard about the
kidney donation process right here on NBC4 during
a previous organ donation special.
He stepped up to be a donor for anyone in need.
Giving a kidney means surgery and usually 6 weeks recovery.
I asked all three of them if they felt as good as they looked.
The answer was, yes.
They did test after test, blood tests, x-rays.
They made sure that we maintained our healthy status going out after the donation, as going
in.
They put in as much care into me as a donor as they did my sister, as the recipient.
I mean they make sure you're in good health from the top of your head down to the bottom
of your feet.
Just the confidence I had, you know that I was going to come out of it okay, and I feel
good.
I feel great.
So did anybody have any trepidation after they said yes and you went through the test
that you felt like, I'm not sure I can go through with this?
Not at all.
Nope.
For me it took one visit to a dialysis center, I visited my sister one day at lunch time,
and its
just so quiet and you hear the machines and you know that that is maintaining life for
everyone in that room.
Just watching her exhausted, coming home from dialysis and trying to you know cook for the
kids and maintain a standard house hold just wasn't working, so I had no second thoughts.
And she's doing well today?
She's doing great!
She's running marathons, she is walking, she's doing great.
I didn't get to meet Beth till I think it was the day before our first testing, for
both of us.
And it was (deep breath) just not any other type of meeting you'd ever experience.
You know, you're meeting somebody for the first time who could potentially receive your
kidney.
There were some tears but yeah it was a very great experience.
That's really interesting that you were a true altruistic donor because you didn't
know.
Some of these other folks had some connection, but you didn't.
No.
I, once I got approved as a being a donor, you know going through numerous blood tests
and urine tests like we've all done.
You know.
Then they started the matching process.
We met right over here in the hospital and I didn't get to meet her till the day before
surgery, so we both agreed to meet.
We went up to the ninth floor then I went down the hallway and we talked and that's
where I first met her.
Right the day before surgery.
What was that feeling like?
It was tremendous and I'll never forget that.
After we left there, I went back to the room, and Melanie's dad came down and some of her
other family members and friends.
And they all started crying and thanked me for saving
her life, and I started crying.
My wife started crying and then I realized what we were doing was very special.
I don't think it ever really made me special, but I knew what we were doing was special.
That was a very emotional day, and I'll never forget it.
But someone watching this may go well that's all well and good.
I don't have money to do that.
I can't put money into going to the hospital.
Did everyone have their care taken care of by insurance?
Yes.
Yep.
Yeah.
So there was nothing on your end?
Did not cost us a penny.
And I think that's important to know.
It is something that has completely changed my life.
Not only hers, but mine.
I think it made me a better person.
I remember going down the hallway and seeing Mel shortly after the operation and what a
difference it made in her life instantly.
Immediately.
Her color changed and everything, and the value of her whole life just went way up.
And it was just a huge difference and I'm like man I should have done this a long time
ago!
Yes, absolutely.
Yeah yeah I think everybody should do it.
And some good bonding, sister bonding.
Exactly!
We never really spent that much time together.
The whole, you know, ten years apart she couldn't take my hand-me-downs.
Well she did sort of get one.
Yeah she got a gently used kidney.