Jaime Campbell
"I gave my uncle a kidney. It’s a perfect match, and it’s a miracle."
I had always been interested in donation and transplantation because my mother’s family has Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). I lost relatives at early ages to the disease and never knew my mother’s father, as he died from PKD when she was only 18 years old. I watched other relatives suffer through years of dialysis, becoming sicker and sicker, while they waited for a transplant. I can vividly remember my mother telling me on more than one occasion “I am so glad you were adopted, we don’t have to worry about you getting this” (disease).
In March of 1996, I made a visit to my mother. She had a packet of information from UCLA, on being tested as a living donor. I asked what it was for, and she said it was for my uncle (her brother). He had PKD, and had been on dialysis for some time. The waiting list was lengthy, and he was becoming noticeably ill and weak. It was hard to see him like this, because we had always been very close. He took a special interest in me and my activities, and was one of my number one fans. My mother decided to be tested as a match, as she does not have PKD, nor is she a carrier. She was not a compatible blood type. She looked through the health records of my siblings, who were also not compatible. She never thought to look at mine, because “I was adopted”. I, however, was a blood type match.
There was not much information on living donation available, and my mother was nervous about me getting too wrapped up in the idea, because she was convinced further testing would eliminate me as a potential donor. I took the phone number from the UCLA paperwork, and called on my own. After several conversations with a transplant coordinator, I called my uncle on his birthday and told him I wanted to be tested as a donor for his birthday present. He refused several times. I finally told him I was going to UCLA, gave him my appointment information, and told him he had better show up because I was going to be there giving lots of blood, and he needed to participate if I was going to make the effort! Up until the time of the appointment, I wasn’t convinced he would be there. He did come on that May day in 1996, and he was also convinced we would not be a match. However, several weeks later we received the news that we were indeed compatible.
In November of 1997, I gave my uncle a kidney. He has not had one rejection episode or complication. Every year, he receives a clean bill of health, and his medication continues to be reduced, not increased. It’s a perfect match, and it’s a miracle. We have both learned and benefited so much from being part of this miracle. It’s a bond and experience that no one can possibly fathom who hasn’t been through it. I don’t see myself as a hero; I see myself as someone who was lucky enough to be the one who could help keep someone I loved very much here on earth a little longer.
