2016 Suzanne Conrad

SUZANNE CONRAD

Kidney Donor

Age 57 ~ Swisher, Iowa

Honored by iowadonorenetwork.org

When Suzanne needed a job, Tom gave her a chance.  Eight years later, when Tom needed a kidney, Suzanne was thrilled to help.  Suzanne worked as a nurse following both transplant and donor patients.  She had seen how much being on dialysis can affect a patient, and she didn’t want that to happen to Tom’s optimistic and lively stature.  Tom was 17 years post liver transplant and 67 years old. He was going into renal failure and had no compatible family donors.  With blood type B, Tom would have a long wait ahead of him.  Suzanne’s “O” blood type was a great match for Tom.   Suzanne stated, she was so impressed with Tom’s pure joy for life and didn’t want to see that fade away. So, she donated her kidney to him.

Suzanne’s Story

My recipient was 17 years post liver transplant and 67 years old. He was going into renal failure and had no compatible living donors. His blood type was “B” and I knew that he would have quite a wait before an eligible deceased organ donor would be available for him. Type “B” blood type is fairly rare in Iowa and both of Tom’s daughters are “ABs” and his wife was an “A”. Fortunately, I am blood type “O”- and was a good match for him. When I first got into organ donation, I worked as a nurse following transplant patients half the time and was on-call for the donor program the other half. I went to dialysis units and I saw what a struggle it was for those people sitting in those chairs for all of those hours each week. If I could help Tom avoid dialysis, that’s what I wanted to do. Tom was an optimistic, lively guy and I didn’t want to watch that drain away. Tom was one of the people who interviewed me when I applied for the CEO job in Iowa and I was impressed with his pure joy for life. Eight years later, when he needed a kidney and I could help, I was thrilled.