Donor Search Success Stories

On a sunny Wisconsin morning, Shelley Hawbecker and Liz Schumacher exchanged tears, smiles and a pair of kidney-shaped slippers, a nod to the connection the two women share through living organ donation.

Traveling, exploring new places, and exercising are some of Marco David Palacios’ favorite pastimes. However, in 2016, the 35-year-old had to place those passions on hold. His kidneys were failing.

During his MLB career, Reno Aces Team Manager Blake Lalli played for the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves, later going on to play for the Reno Aces before eventually returning as the youngest-ever team manager in franchise history. Even with an impressive baseball career profile, becoming a kidney donor to his girlfriend, Aleah …

Owner Ken Ramsey has texted an update on his June 20 surgery in which he received a donated kidney from family friend Tom Pope, declaring his surgery not only a `huge success,’ but a record-breaking one.

A Tri-State woman’s life was saved Tuesday thanks to a person her family met more than 20 years ago. Katie Mulroney was the recipient of Ashley McKenzie’s kidney. The kidney transplant, which was a success, was performed at Christ Hospital.

Joia Dooley watched a report by KSHB 41 in January of 2022 and changed two lives: hers and the life of her kidney recipient.

For the first time in 18 months, Brad Benjamin has his life back. Jill Powers donated one of her kidneys to Benjamin, who had been on dialysis for 18 months after doctors discovered he had been living with Berger disease most of his life.

As he approached end-stage renal failure, Petar Vukelich had been running out of options. His kidney function was at less than 10%, and in an anguished attempt to find a living donor for him, he and his family were reaching out to his Sunnyside community and beyond.

When Lauren Grom met her best friend, Julie Wood, she didn’t know her friend would save her life one day. In 2020, Grom learned from her doctors at D.C.’s George Washington University Hospital that she would have to either start dialysis or begin the long process of trying to find a kidney donor.

A Gwinnett County teen is getting ready to head to the University of North Georgia next year, five years after receiving a kidney from his neighbor.