When Renelda Latondress's younger brother needed a kidney transplant 25 years ago, Latondress donated one of hers because it was the right thing to do. Her brother, Julien DeBacker Jr., was just 26 and had a young son. Latondress was 44 at the time and the best match among seven siblings.
She was scared, but she knew the stakes.
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KIDNEY COUPLES: (above, from
left) Rob and Karen Gaffney
pose for a photo with their
friends, Guy and Renelda
Latondress. Renelda Latondress
had provided her brother with a
kidney transplant 25 years ago.
Her husband, Guy, received
Karen Gaffney's kidney in
2000. Today, the two couples
are close friends. Photo courtesy of
Renelda Latondress |
"I thought, 'I have to do this. I just have to do this.'" said Latondress, an accountant in Eastern Michigan University's Accounting Financial Services Department. She's now 69 and lives next door to her still-healthy brother. "After all was said and done, it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. They seem to give you more information than you really want and scare you half to death."
She never dreamed she'd play a role in another organ transplant. But, in 2000, her husband, Guy, started showing signs of kidney failure. Because of various health issues, none of his family members was an eligible donor. This time, a stranger — Karen Gaffney, a business analyst from Ford Motor Company — did what had to be done.
Gaffney, now 51, had decided she wanted to do something significant to mark her 50th birthday. She remembered hearing a radio personality talk about donating a kidney, and the idea struck a chord with her — much more so than jumping out of a plane or joining the Red Hat society.
"I was initially trying to (donate) anonymously because I didn't know anyone who needed one," Gaffney said. "I contacted three hospitals and they treated me like I was crazy."
Things finally started to fall into place when she mentioned her plan to a nurse at Ford, who happened to know the Latondress family from church. It turned out Gaffney was a perfect match.
"I'm thrilled I did it. I'd recommend it to anyone. I think it's one of the best things anyone can do," Gaffney said. "You go through that (consideration) with your driver's license. Of course, you check that (organ donation box) off. But, I guess the big thing is people knowing they can do it while they're still alive. And the person who receives the kidney has a better chance of surviving if it's from a live donor."
The transplant between Gaffney and Guy Latondress took place Nov. 1, 2006, and anchored what has become a very special friendship between the two couples.
Even though there was almost 25 years between their donations, Renelda was able to help coach Gaffney through the recovery phase with bits of practical advice that helped Gaffney get up and around sooner, and with less discomfort.
The Latondresses live in New Boston; Karen and Rob Gaffney live in Garden City and there's about 20 years' difference in their ages. But, they've found they have much more in common than a kidney.
Karen and Guy have birthdays within a few days of each other, as do Renelda and Rob. They enjoy a lot of the same things, share a similar set of values, and live in the same style of house. Neither couple has children, but they've both owned the same breed of dog.
Karen sings in the Ford Motor Company chorus; the Latondresses have been to all of her performances. Together, they appreciate simple pleasures like dinner, sightseeing, Super Scrabble, and mudslide cake.
"We get together at least once a month now," Renelda Latondress said. "We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, transplant anniversaries, anything we can celebrate."
They went together to Guy's family reunion last summer and have met Renelda's sisters and brothers, including Julien, who went to the University of Michigan Hospitals Jan. 5 for his 25-year checkup.
"At the time (of the transplant), they told him the life of the kidney was probably about 10 years, so he's more than doubled it," said Renelda Latondress, sounding proud of both her brother and her kidney.
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