2017 Eric Murdock

ERIC MURDOCK

Kidney Donor

Age 51 ~ Bakersfield, CA

Honored by OneLegacy at onelegacy.org

In 2007, while working on a drilling rig and having trouble climbing a hill, Eric Murdock learned from the physicians that his legs had become weak and heavy due to complications from his failing kidneys contributed from high blood pressure. After spending time in the outpatient procedures to repair his dialysis access over 8 years, Eric received his first kidney transplant. But, the new kidney was not flowing blood properly and had to be removed. On March 28, 2016, Eric received a call from a UCLA coordinator that told him a match was ready. He received that gift of life from Holly Henry, who came into his room the next day to meet the recipient of her kidney. Holly and Eric are now linked for life through a chain that has connected them close enough that they call each other family.

Eric’s Story

In 2007, while working on a drilling rig and having trouble climbing a hill, Eric Murdock learned from the physicians that his legs had become weak and heavy due to complications from his failing kidneys contributed from high blood pressure. He was told that he was going to have to start dialysis treatments in order to sustain life. Although he had five children to support, he had no choice but to quit his job and start a new life, which would take up the next eight years of his time consisting of treatments for three days a week for four hours each day. This was a turn of events that no 41 years old man could ever imagine his life to encounter.

He spent many times having outpatient procedures to repair his dialysis accesses whether they be fistulas, grafts or central venous catheters. There for a while, he was having these repairs on a monthly basis, so frequently, that even the hospital staff knew him very well. The chronic kidney disease was also causing other disorders which consisted of many doctors’ appointments and numerous medications.

Eric received his first kidney transplant in December 2012 from a 16 years old male cadaver. But, the new kidney was not flowing blood properly, and therefore, had to be removed immediately after being transplanted. This was devastating for Eric and put him in a bit of depression. And to make matters worse, he received several phone calls over the next couple of months of possible matches, but only to be turned down. He was told that he had acquired much more antibodies due to the transplant, which would make it harder to find a match.

On March 28, 2016, Eric received that phone call he had long been waiting for. The UCLA coordinator told him there was a live donor on the program that was his possible match and to get ready to possibly receive his new kidney the following week. It turns out, April 7, 2016 was the beginning of a new life for Eric. He received that gift of life from Holly Henry, who came into his room the next day to meet the recipient of her kidney. Holly and Eric are now linked for life through the chain that has connected them close enough that they call each other family. They keep in touch with one another and hold on to that bond they created in that hospital room. Eric will forever be grateful to Holly and could never repay her for giving him a second chance at life.

Eric is honored and proud to be a walker of the Donate Life Rose Parade 2017. He and Holly will be walking side by side representing