Shannon Payne, a "miracle baby" conceived despite his mother Kathy's longtime battle with lupus, came to her rescue by donating his kidney when hers failed. To Kathy, Shannon's gift "was the difference between a struggling existence, and a thriving life. His life-giving decision proved his strength and honor, which is [his] whole character."

Shannon and Kathy's Story

After several years of battling severe lupus, compounded by the increasing difficulties of the disease and the medications to fight it, Kathy Payne was believed to have been sterile. Against all odds, she conceived a baby; against further odds, she delivered her son, Shannon, nine months later.

Twenty-three years passed, and the decades of lupus took a cruel toll on Kathy’s kidneys. She had little function left, and dialysis had become a bi-weekly reality. Testing for compatibility for kidney donation was done among her family members, and many generous friends. Only Shannon, the child for whom she had fought to give life, was a match.

“He was never asked; for him it was a clear decision,” says Kathy. “The thought of him going through such a serious operation was incomprehensible to me, but he was determined that I have a better quality of life.”

Shannon confirms this: “It wasn’t a question for me. I volunteered to be tested. I could never stand by and watch someone suffer if there is something I can do about it, especially after all my mother has done for me.

Once the match was made, the Paynes had little time to fully contemplate what was ahead of them. “We stayed busy between doctor visits, tests and my dialysis. Our transplant team was encouraging and understanding, but also respectful of our confidentiality. This allowed us to freely ask questions that were constantly arising,” says Kathy.

“Though we tried to remain strong and positive, my family and I were faced with emotions that we had never felt before. We found comfort in knowing that many prayers were going up on our behalf. The surgery, which took place on August 11, 2005, was a perfect success. The physicians, nurses, and transplant team continued to care for us with compassion and expertise.

“After such an enormous experience, it’s often very hard to grasp the reality of the event. When I think about how Shannon, at only 23 years old, selflessly put his mother before himself, I am truly amazed. His life-giving decision proved his strength, and honor, which is whole character. But I realize that it was much more than that: it was my life that he selflessly protected. I now carry a living part of my son within me, and for this I will always be grateful.”

Shannon adds, “I used to think that the pink organ donor dot was just a mark on my license. Now I know how important it is, and I get kind of upset when I don’t see that dot on a license. It’s a personal thing.”