“I was born diabetic. When I was younger, I didn’t know I had diabetes. As I got older, I found out I was a Type 1 diabetic. I went to the doctor one day with real bad pain in my stomach. They thought it might be my gallbladder. When they put the IV dye in me, my creatinine shot way up. The dye just shocked my kidneys. I never drank, never smoked; it was just something that happened.
“I had more problems, too. My diabetes caused neuropathy, arthritis, heart and eye problems — lots of things. I thank God I wasn’t a drinker and wasn’t a smoker because I really believe not doing those things helped me get through to where I am.
“I’m a strong person. I don’t cry too easily and I don’t complain. I don’t want my kids to think I need them to be there for me all the time or do something for me just because I’m complaining. So when my daughter, Jennifer, came to me one day and said, ‘I want to get tested to see if I can give you a kidney,’ I said no. I didn’t want her to lose a kidney to try and help me. She hadn’t had any children yet. I didn’t want her to have to put her life on hold for me.
“I did eventually have to go on dialysis, and I stayed on it for two years. One day, Jennifer told me, ‘You’re not momma no more. You’re too weak. Let me do this for you.’ She called UAB without me knowing and filled out an application to see if she could donate. She told me one day we had an appointment at UAB. I couldn’t believe she did; it. But when we went to UAB, I listened to everything they said. The coordinators were amazing. Everyone explained everything so well.
“Unfortunately, Jennifer didn’t match me. Both of us had blood transfusions. I had one when I had a child in 1996. She had to have one after tonsil surgery. That threw our antibodies off, and we didn’t match.
“We ultimately went into the paired donation program. UAB has some fine people. The doctors, they didn’t stop until they did everything they could to find a match for me. My coordinators, my doctors and nurses and surgeons, I can’t thank them enough. Everybody was in on this and played a part in my transplant.
“My donor wound up being William Chambers. We did not know each other, but we had actually been around each other several times. We met in clinic when we both had our initial appointments — him to donate and Jennifer and me getting tested. We both sat in the waiting room the day we were checking in and didn’t talk. I actually took a picture of my sister-in-law in the waiting room, and Mr. William was in the background of the picture. It was just God’s will.
“I can’t thank William enough for what he did. I can’t appreciate him enough. And the wonderful part about it, he did it because he wanted to help somebody. He was a God-giving person. He had no reason to do it, but he did it anyway. He did it from his heart.
“He didn’t know I was a Type 1 diabetic until I told him, and he said that’s what he wanted to do — donate to a Type 1 diabetic.
“We try to keep in touch with other. I just bought a card to send to him and thank him again. He and his wife were so wonderful. I have had so many surgeries, and God has always been there to walk me through it. To me, William is a hero. And my daughter is, too. She stepped up to help her momma.
“Jennifer started this process when she was 26. She wanted to help me, but I kept telling her no. I have a wonderful, wonderful daughter — two of them, actually. My other daughter, Kendra, wanted to give me a kidney, too, but she has asthma. My son, Kentrel, wasn’t old enough, and he has bad migraines. I have three wonderful kids, and they all wanted to do it for me. I told God, ‘You’ve always told me I’d know when I did right.’ Well, I know I’ve done right, because my kids are wonderful. They all graduated with honors from high school and my two daughters graduated with honors from college. My son just started college. They’re just great kids, and I know they wanted to do it because I’ve been through a lot. I have had a lot of surgeries, but I’m so blessed. I have no complaints. God is always with me.”
Deanne Lockett - 39
"UAB has some fine people. The doctors, they didn’t stop until they did everything they could to find a match for me."