Denise Prewitt - 36
"I guess it would have been easy to put it off, or say no, but UAB was willing to send the testing kit to our hotel, so I was able to take care of everything from Orlando after I found a facility that was willing to draw the blood for me."
“I’ve always been a blood donor and plasma donor. If I can give, then I definitely want to.
“Several years ago, when I was a teenager or in my early 20s, one of my cousins had to have a kidney transplant. Back then there wasn’t anything like what they are doing now. The fact that you don’t have to give up your whole life to do something like donating a kidney is just amazing to me.
“I donated on behalf of Marjorie Wilhite. Amy Vice is Marjorie’s daughter; we work together, and she’s a good friend of mine. I approached them to see what I could do to help when I learned her mother had to have a kidney. She was amazed and shocked that I would do that, but I wish we could have had a camera on us the day I found out I was going to be able to donate for her. When Amy came to work, I met her on the steps and said, ‘Guess what? Your mom is going to get a kidney.’ And we both immediately went to tears and were hugging and screaming. It was a big celebration.
“Her mom had waited a year, and there were many people trying to become eligible to donate on her behalf. It was a relief for Amy and her mom when I was able to be her donation partner, and it was a joy for me. It was a joy that I was going to be able to help her. I wanted to be able to give directly to her, but if I couldn’t, then I felt like I would be playing a small part in helping her be able to do it.
“I understand that I am the donor who has waited the longest to donate as part of the chain — the longest bridge donor. Ms. Marjorie had her surgery in the Spring of 2014, and I donated on March 18, 2015.
“My family was leaving the next day for Disney World when I got the call that they had a potential match for me. I guess it would have been easy to put it off, or say no, but UAB was willing to send the testing kit to our hotel, so I was able to take care of everything from Orlando after I found a facility that was willing to draw the blood for me.
“Within a couple of weeks, we were headed to Birmingham for surgery.
“The staff at UAB was awesome! On our first day there, I asked if it was possible to meet my recipient, and was told that was up to him. I told them that I did not have to — it wasn’t going to keep me from donating — but that I sure would love to. So, my last day there, they set up a meeting. It was very emotional for Marvin and me. We hugged like old friends, promised to keep in touch, and instantly became family. He calls to check on me, and I do the same with him. I think about him all the time. I think the difference in our sizes (I am 5 feet tall and he is 6-foot-6) caused him a slower recovery, but he seems to be getting better every day.
“Marvin came to the doctor’s office to meet me after one of my follow-up appointments at UAB. We were also able to spend a few minutes together at the donor picnic, and we do talk on the phone quite often. We consider each other to be family now. As a matter of fact, we are always careful to say, ‘I love you,’ at the end of our conversations.
“As soon as Marvin is able to travel, he plans to come spend a few days with us in South Alabama. He wants to be sure that he comes to church with me. I look forward to the time we can spend a whole day together and get to share more of our lives with each other.
“I also keep up with Ms. Marjorie. She is the oldest living recipient. She seems to be doing very well, too.
“I have been raised to believe that promises are to always be kept — don’t make one that you can't or won't keep. When I was tested to see if I would be a match for Ms. Marjorie, I had every intention of being a donor. After being told that I was not a match for her, but she would get a kidney if I would agree to donate, there was never any question in my mind that this would happen.
“This chain is just amazing to me, totally wonderful. God has blessed so many people through this and I pray that it will continue forever. I think the program itself is such a blessing to so many people, people who may not otherwise have an opportunity. It’s just fantastic.”