Unable to donate kidney to a family member in need, Park City firefighter gives one to a stranger

When Park Metropolis Hearth District engineer Henry Evans realized his cousin was in want of a kidney, he knew instantly he would volunteer to donate one in all his personal. That cousin had been in renal failure for a while, and once they grew to become a candidate for donation final summer season, Evans went straight to get examined for compatibility.

Sadly, it was to not be.

“Seems I’m AB, which is the rarest blood sort,” Evans stated. “I can solely donate to different ABs however I can obtain from another blood sort. It’s the egocentric blood.”

Evans stated the information was deflating as a result of he assumed he would be capable of begin the donation course of immediately.

Whereas Evans was unable to assist his cousin, the thought of donating a kidney stayed with him.

“I used to be initially impressed to be a donor by my superb spouse who donated a kidney to her aunt,” he stated. “Watching her and her aunt undergo the method form of cemented in my thoughts that if the chance ever arose I might not hesitate to be a donor.”

When Evans seemed additional, he got here throughout the choice of non-directed kidney donation — primarily donating a kidney with out figuring out who will obtain it.

“I had by no means heard of non-directed donation till I began this course of,” he stated. “As soon as I noticed I might nonetheless donate to somebody regardless of not with the ability to assist my member of the family straight, it was actually a no brainer. Whereas I clearly can’t straight donate or assist my cousin get a kidney, this was at the least a solution to pare down the recipient registry and assist a deserving stranger get off of dialysis within the course of.”

Testing and extra testing

In August, Evans reached out to the College of Utah’s transplant program and was arrange with a residing donor nurse coordinator, Liss Livingston.

“She was primarily my advocate and coach for the whole course of,” he stated. “She is a fully unimaginable one who has devoted her profession to renal transplant.”

After the preliminary screening course of, Evans was subjected to a battery of assessments.

“After I say ‘battery’ I imply they beautiful a lot check you for any attainable well being situation an individual might have,” he stated. “Their precedence is guaranteeing that the donor lives the identical wholesome life they might have had they not donated. If there may be even the tiniest crimson flag in your well being you aren’t accepted to donate.”

Evans was accepted, and the method of discovering a recipient started. As soon as one was positioned and a surgical procedure date set in late January, Evans stated his “job was principally to remain as wholesome as attainable.”

‘Impressed and excited’

Because the date of the surgical procedure neared, Evans stated he felt assured in his resolution.

“After all, they offer you proper up till you’re beneath anesthesia to tug out however I by no means even entertained that,” he stated. “There actually wasn’t a day the place I began second guessing the choice.”

Evans stated he’d accomplished his analysis and knew he’d be capable of lead the identical life as earlier than with one kidney. And except a few nights within the hospital and soreness for a number of days after the operation, the expertise was comparatively simple.

“I’m on very strict lifting restrictions till the top of March, however I’ve in any other case resumed life as common,” he stated. “I’m hoping to be again on shift by March 27.”

Supply of inspiration

Evans’ spouse, Lisa Wilkinson Evans, stated she was hesitant about her husband’s resolution, at the same time as somebody who had been via the method herself. Her aunt went into renal failure 10 years in the past, so she noticed what it was wish to be on dialysis.

“It’s a brutal solution to reside,” Wilkinson Evans stated. “It’s a number of instances each week for a number of hours that you’re hooked as much as a machine.”

When she received examined, she and her aunt have been a match, and as soon as the transplant was over, Wilkinson Evans stated the change in her aunt was fast.

“After our surgical procedure I might see her colour already getting higher,” she stated. “It was essentially the most superb expertise to be a part of. I want I might put into phrases how life-changing it’s for not solely the recipient however the donor.”

Respect for anonymity

Evans stated he doesn’t know the id of the kidney recipient, and he didn’t need the date and site of his surgical procedure publicized to be able to defend his id from the recipient. Not as a result of he doesn’t need to know the recipient, however out of respect for that particular person.

“We now have not been in touch,” he stated. “Each events need to agree and I’m leaving that call as much as the recipient. I’ve no expectations. All I do know is that the recipient is doing very effectively and that’s actually all that issues to me.”

‘If I had an additional kidney I’d signal proper again up’

Evans stated he has no regrets concerning the resolution to donate his kidney, and would do it once more if he might. He known as it “essentially the most fulfilling expertise of (his) life.”

“It’s very arduous to elucidate to anybody who hasn’t gone via it,” he stated. “From begin to end the whole course of has simply been so uplifting. There are actually good folks on the market who work tirelessly to assist folks discover kidneys and livers, and it’s arduous to place into phrases how particular and superb these persons are.”

Greater than something, Evans stated he wished to share his story not for recognition, however to lift consciousness about kidney donation and maybe encourage another person.

“Understandably, the considered parting with a significant organ may be very daunting,” he stated. “Nonetheless, I actually imagine there are many folks on the market who would step as much as donate in the event that they have been made conscious of the minimal dangers from and unimaginable advantage of being a residing donor.

“You possibly can actually save a life at the price of being mildly inconvenienced for a month or two.”

Evans inspired anybody who thinks they is perhaps to look into it.

“I actually hope extra folks begin to put their title within the donor hat as there are a whole bunch of hundreds of deserving sufferers in want of a kidney proper now.”