Celebrating the nation’s longest kidney chain
Become a Part of the Chain
- Donate a kidney
- If you would like to donate to a loved one, or a stranger, start by filling out this online form.
- Get on the list
- If you are in need of a kidney transplant, you will need a referral from your nephrologist.
Your doctor can get all the details here. - Give a gift
- Support the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute.
UAB is among top
3
U.S. kidney transplant centers
In Alabama,
2,200+
are waiting on kidney transplants
Lives saved:
114
through UAB Kidney Chain
In their words, stories from our transplant donors and recipients
Kendra Brooks
After more than four years of dialysis treatments, Kendra Brooks received her transplant in April 2016. Kendra’s mom donated a kidney so her daughter could receive one and wrote a letter to share the news. “It said, ‘God has answered our prayers. We have a match.’ I cried puddles of tears of joy,” Kendra says.
Sheldon Vaughn
High blood pressure and diabetes ravaged Sheldon Vaughn’s kidneys, and it was the kindness of two donors who helped him achieve a transplant. “A dialysis nurse my wife and I came to know wanted to donate to me, but wasn’t a match for me, and her kidney went to a woman in Florida. But because of her donation, I was able go on the UAB list and received my kidney from a young woman named Nicole who had contacted UAB and wanted to donate her kidney to anybody. So in a sense, I feel like I have two donors.”
Laura Burks
With a desire to help others, Laura Burks was looking for her next opportunity when a friend posted on her blog about how she was going to donate a kidney. “I thought, ‘That is what I need to do,’ Laura says. “Before that, I didn’t know you could be a loving donor. I thought it was something that happens after you pass away. After realizing that I could give away an organ that I don’t have to have to live with, I thought, ‘If I don’t do this, my life’s not complete.’ I just knew somebody needed a kidney and they’re depending on some stranger to give up theirs, and I was that stranger.
William Harris
High blood pressure caused William Harris’ kidneys to fail, and he was told he would eventually need a kidney transplant to live. After nine years of dialysis treatments, his wish came true. “When I was told I was a candidate to get a transplant, and that there was a match for me, I didn’t have any fears,” William says. “I was humbled to know that someone wanted to give me a kidney.”
Watch some of the dramatic stories from the UAB Kidney Chain
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Paula King - 1
"Knowing that there was somebody out there who could use what I had and praying about it and seeing a friend who had donated a kidney made me realize that perhaps I was somebody else's friend." Additional Info- Hometown Helena, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Lornette Stewart - 1
“She’s just a beautiful person. The fact that Paula would come forward and donate to a stranger, to me, it was an act of obedience. She heard what God said, and she just did it." Additional Info- Hometown Shalimar, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Jovi Williams - 2
"Getting that call that says you are a match for your mother, that’s an awesome feeling." Additional Info- Hometown Shalimar, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Susan Miller - 2
"Everyone, I mean everyone, was so friendly and nice to me. It’s hard to put into words how much you appreciate that when you’re so sick." Additional Info- Hometown Mobile, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 3
Additional Info- Hometown Bay Minette, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Ellen Herron - 3
"Now, after the transplant, things are good." Additional Info- Hometown Quinton, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Shelly Gary - 4
"Why did I decide to give? It wasn't a question for me." Additional Info- Hometown Harvest, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Thomas Blankenship - 4
"I am a new man. I feel awesome." Additional Info- Hometown Lexington, Tennessee
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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James Mangus - 5
"I just had the capability to step up and do something that would positively impact at least one person’s life. It was just a no-brainer." Additional Info- Hometown McKinney, Texas
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Martha Kelley - 5
"Not only did God provide me with a new kidney, he provided me one from a military man who looked like G.I. Joe." Additional Info- Hometown Brookwood, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Justin Kelley - 6
"My mom needed a kidney, and I had to do something." Additional Info- Hometown Helena, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Brett Burks - 6
Additional Info- Hometown Saltillo, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Karon Tidwell - 7
"I would do it again in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t think twice about it either." Additional Info- Hometown Olive Branch, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Robin Oliver - 7
"It’s like I’ve been given a second chance." Additional Info- Hometown Montgomery, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Angelia Rigsby - 8
“Everybody asks me if there was a lot of pressure on me to give, and there really wasn’t. It was my sister. Of course I didn’t want to lose her." Additional Info- Hometown Eclectic, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Veronica Temple - 8
"It’s been great since the surgery. I don’t have to be sick every day." Additional Info- Hometown Bessemer, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 9
Additional Info- Hometown Bessemer, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Mary Hanks - 9
"This whole experience has just been amazing—miraculous." Additional Info- Hometown Pensacola, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Paula Jones - 10
"We came during the snow storm. We got stuck on the interstate about 12 miles down the road. We sat on the interstate for three hours before we had some truckers move people out of the way and let us… Additional Info- Hometown Milton, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Cathy Messer - 10
"I signed up for the program in October and by the end of January, I had the transplant. It happened quickly." Additional Info- Hometown Oxford, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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David Messer - 11
"I think there are tons of people out there who would give of themselves and not expect to get anything back, just because people need them." Additional Info- Hometown Oxford, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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John Romeo - 11
"I thought I felt good before the surgery, but I feel so much better now." Additional Info- Hometown Huntsville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Laura Romeo-Pierce - 12
"It feels like everyone in this chain is family. I may not know them all by name, and I may not have even met all of them, but we are all linked. " Additional Info- Hometown Huntsville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Jocelin Davis - 12
"To be able to give to someone and you’re not really looking for anything in return, and you’re helping a stranger, is just amazing. It’s a great thing." Additional Info- Hometown Auburn, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 13
Additional Info- Hometown Chicago, Illinois
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Ryane Burns - 13
“To be a part of something like this chain gives me a good feeling. It is just crazy and amazing at the same time." Additional Info- Hometown Decatur, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Jason Burns - 14
“I really think if people knew more about kidney transplant and the living donor programs available, there would be a lot more chains started. I don’t think people realize how healthy you can live with one kidney and really how… Additional Info- Hometown Decatur, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Michael Little - 14
“When she met me, Dr. Locke told me my name had been on her bulletin board for two and a half years because I had been her toughest patient." Additional Info- Hometown New Hebron, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Derek Lambert - 15
"Having been born with two kidneys, it would stand to reason they would both be mine.... And then one day, out of the blue, my reasoning began to break down." Additional Info- Hometown High Springs, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Allison Nelson - 15
"There are so many people on a list. If I wasn't in this predicament, I would give somebody an organ in a heartbeat." Additional Info- Hometown Abita Springs, Louisiana
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Courtney McLaughlin - 16
"She's been on the waiting list for a deceased donor organ for years with no end in sight. We were on this waiting list for three months. It's really been amazing." Additional Info- Hometown Clementon, New Jersey
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Katelyn Pickel - 16
"I started dialysis my first day in the hospital, Oct. 28. I'm glad to be off of it and have this transplant behind me. I hope to get back on with my life and pick up where I left off." Additional Info- Hometown Albany, Georgia
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Earl Pickel - 17
"The reason why I did this is very simple—my daughter needed a kidney, and I'd do anything to help her. But if we could help other people in the process, why not pick someone else up and carry them with… Additional Info- Hometown Albany, Georgia
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Marjorie Wilhite - 17
"The people who are willing to donate have just got to be angels and the most unselfish people in the whole world." Additional Info- Hometown Pinson, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Kristi Jeter - 18
"I'm not going to lie; it was a little difficult to get my family on board at first. We had to talk about it." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Nancy Roesle - 18
"UAB is always where I felt I needed to be.... This, to me, was the place I needed to be to get these awesome results." Additional Info- Hometown Youngstown, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Regina Roesle -19
"I knew you could donate a kidney, but I never knew it could be me." Additional Info- Hometown Lillian, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Diane Simmons - 19
"Dr. Locke has done such an amazing thing with this chain. It's truly amazing." Additional Info- Hometown Monroeville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Stephanie Freeman - 20
"My husband needed a kidney, and I wasn't a match for him.... He was a little hesitant for me to do this.... But the main goal, as I kept telling him, is for him to be around for our kids.… Additional Info- Hometown Brookwood, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Joseph Brown - 20
"My brother giving on my behalf is pretty amazing. This time last year he was in a near-fatal car accident.... I just feel like God let him survive to help me out." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Amari Brown - 21
"This chain, it just shows the sacrifices people will do to help others -- family members or close friends, and in some cases total strangers. It's inspiring and appreciated." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Thomas Freeman - 21
"The fact that so many people have an opportunity now to change their lives is just unreal. I know it’s going to change my family’s life." Additional Info- Hometown Brookwood, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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April Brooks - 22
"I would give a thousand kidneys if I were able to. It really is bigger than just you. We are all on earth to do something bigger than ourselves, and it feels good when you actually have an opportunity to… Additional Info- Hometown Monroeville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Glen Peebles - 22
"This chain is just a miracle. It's a miracle for everybody involved. Medicine has changed so much since my first transplant. It's unbelievable what can be done now." Additional Info- Hometown Town Creek, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Contessa Terry - 23
"I knew this was going to be a possibility one day. I wanted to give him a kidney the first time, but I was too young. It never really occurred to me to second-guess doing this at all. Not one… Additional Info- Hometown Moulton, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Price Johnson - 23
"This kidney chain is really a continuing story of one sacrifice after another, all in the name of love. It’s a good story.” Additional Info- Hometown Oxford, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Laura Lee - 24
"It’s hard to explain how happy I am that I was able to do something like this for my friends." Additional Info- Hometown Oxford, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Bryan Howard - 24
"It’s great that this chain has been put together so we can share our stories with others in need and do what we can to bring awareness about the power of living kidney donation.” Additional Info- Hometown Prattville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Maria Howard - 25
“It’s great to hear that this chain has grown so much. I’m very happy that this is happening because it means a lot more people will have a chance for life." Additional Info- Hometown Fort Worth, Texas
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Kay Mason - 25
Additional Info- Hometown Rogersville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Kasey Word - 26
"I knew I was just so thankful that somebody else had done that for my mother." Additional Info- Hometown Rogersville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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James Oliver - 26
"I got to meet my donor, and it was emotional, but good. It was good to hear her story and meet her. I just know I’m forever grateful to her for what she did." Additional Info- Hometown Valley, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Robert Butler - 27
"I’d never heard of doing anything like this. But giving my kidney to somebody else is just as good as me giving my kidney directly to him. And when you think about it, two people are going to have a… Additional Info- Hometown Lanett, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Frank Southon - 27
"To be able to be independent and enjoy my kids will mean a lot to me. It will be the biggest benefit, I think." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Denise Soulliere - 28
"Frank has two kids, and I didn’t want to see those kids grow up without a father. I wanted to give someone a chance. I wanted to give Frank a chance." Additional Info- Hometown Cullman, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Estella Floyd - 28
"I've got a will to live." Additional Info- Hometown Cantonment, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Kim Teele - 29
"God clearly spoke to my heart and told me I needed to offer her one of my kidneys. It was not something I took lightly. I prayed about it for several months." Additional Info- Hometown Fort White, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Nicholas Goodwin - 29
"We feel like we’re all a family now. I can never repay her for what she did, but I am beyond thankful for her kindness.” Additional Info- Hometown Mobile, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Felisa Goodwin - 30
Additional Info- Hometown Mobile, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Cathy Vandiver - 30
“How do you thank somebody for doing that? Every time I think about her and what she’s doing for me, I start crying. It’s such a tremendous gift.” Additional Info- Hometown Tuscumbia, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Kelly Berwager - 31
"That was the whole point, to be a light to somebody, physically and spiritually." Additional Info- Hometown Hoover, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Mary Reed - 31
“It’s absolutely amazing that they can do this, that this chain is possible. It’s all due to the donors. They are the angels and the true heroes in all of this." Additional Info- Hometown Huntsville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Lauren Abernathy - 32
“This has been the most emotional ride I have ever been on." Additional Info- Hometown Huntsville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Glenda Park - 32
"Knowing that it's all behind me really gives me a sense of relief, especially knowing I don't have to hook up to that machine every night.” Additional Info- Hometown Alabaster, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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John Woolard - 33
“I think this chain is truly amazing. It’s a testament to God’s grace and His example of how He can use one person to reach many.” Additional Info- Hometown Hoover, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Daphne Glenn - 33
"When people find out about something like this, they are really willing to help." Additional Info- Hometown Alexander City, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Linda Hessenberger - 34
"All I cared about at first was my aunt, but it’s really pretty cool to know that there are others out there just like her whose lives are changing, hopefully for the better." Additional Info- Hometown Mendota, Illinois
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Thomas Thompson - 34
"I actually thought I was being lied to when I first got the call saying doctors here had found a kidney for me. Less than two months ago, they called me when I was on the dialysis machine. They said,… Additional Info- Hometown Cantonment, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Belinda Beasley - 35
"I just knew that Estella had been given the gift of life and someone else was waiting for their gift, too. And after the surgery and my donation was over, and the doctor came to walk me over to see… Additional Info- Hometown Pensacola, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Kiara Brown - 35
“When we got that phone call, everything lifted. I could see her spirit lifting. Her attitude changed. She was telling everyone, ‘I’m going to get a new kidney.’ My family has been through so much. This was just God-sent." Additional Info- Hometown Silver Creek, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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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… Additional Info- Hometown Irvington, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Marvin Wynn - 36
“My transplant date was March 18, which is also my daughter’s birthday. Now I have two reasons to celebrate on that day." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 37
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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John Tarver - 37
"People were willing to donate a kidney to me, but we could never get a match. Then my cousin said he would give; he wasn’t exactly a match, so he gave on my behalf." Additional Info- Hometown Wagarville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 38
Additional Info- Hometown Biloxi, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 38
Additional Info- Hometown Montgomery, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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William Chambers - 39
“There wasn’t a reason I could think of not to donate. I’m in good health. The need was there. There were so many reasons to do it." Additional Info- Hometown Cullman, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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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." Additional Info- Hometown Centreville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Jennifer Lockett - 40
“I was used to my upbeat, getting-around mom, and she just wasn’t happy anymore. You could see it." Additional Info- Hometown Centreville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Christy Harris - 40
"I thought I would have to have a donor that matched my tissue and blood type. And, in your mind, you think, 'Well, let me try to find a family member.' But everyone in my family has high blood pressure." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 41
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Lonnie Haralson - 41
“I’m so much happier now than I used to be. My quality of life is so much better. I’m ready to get back on the golf course.” Additional Info- Hometown LaGrange, Georgia
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Tracey Alford - 42
“I was very excited. It’s kind of weird getting excited about surgery, but I just wanted to help my dad." Additional Info- Hometown LaGrange, Georgia
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Alton Barbee - 42
“I think this kidney chain is a great thing. It makes it a whole lot easier to get a kidney. I had 20 people try to match with me but couldn’t." Additional Info- Hometown Hanceville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 43
Additional Info- Hometown Hanceville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Chandrabose Vajjasubash - 43
“My wife is the reason I was able to get a kidney. Without the email, Beth might not have donated to me." Additional Info- Hometown Tampa, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Beth Dillon - 44
"As long as you’re willing to give to somebody, you can help. It’s the most uplifting experience you can be a part of.” Additional Info- Hometown St. Petersburg, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Randall Peebles - 44
"I wish other people knew how much it helps people out. People can live with one kidney. Folks need to take it to heart. If they can give, then they should give.” Additional Info- Hometown Flomaton, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Jeffrey Rizzo - 45
“It’s beyond me that someone hooked up on dialysis can’t get away from it. It’s so limiting to them.… To find out that someone can unplug you from the machine and give you life, there are no words that can… Additional Info- Hometown Ozark, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Sylvester Mencer - 45
"He’s my little angel. I just hugged him the first time I met him. He didn’t have to do that. He didn’t have to give." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Cindy Atkin - 46
"I wasn’t sure I wanted to meet at first. I thought I would just do what I needed to do, but it was such a joy meeting her. It was emotional." Additional Info- Hometown Hurtsboro, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Gladys Hatchett - 46
“I was a schoolteacher at Jeff Davis High School for 30 years, and the thing I’m looking most forward to now that I’m retired is traveling and not doing dialysis." Additional Info- Hometown Montgomery, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Vivian Storrs - 47
"When I came up to do the battery of tests, I talked with her, an advocate, a counselor and a few others. They wanted to see where my mindset was emotionally and physically. They didn’t want me to feel pressured… Additional Info- Hometown Decatur, Georgia
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Orson Chresfield - 47
“I think a lot of people don’t give because they are either scared or they aren’t educated. The chance at life that you are giving to someone is such a good thing." Additional Info- Hometown Decatur, Georgia
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Chalice Howard - 48
"I believe deeply that as someone who has been given much, I am responsible for extending myself to those in need. I’m the recipient of a lot of generosity, and I need to be generous." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Levon Madison - 48
“Happy is not even a word I can use when I found out he was getting a kidney. I was thrilled. Then I found out it was from a live donor. I was even happier then.” Additional Info- Hometown Pine Hill, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Colby Heatherly - 49
"I’ve always wanted to be out there and part of the solution to problems. Kidney disease is a big problem." Additional Info- Hometown Calera, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Janet Henderson - 49
"I thought about asking my kids if they would help me get a transplant by donating to me or for me, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t ask them. They wanted to do it, but it took me years… Additional Info- Hometown State Line, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Janaka West - 50
“When your mom is sick, it’s not even a question of whether or not you are willing to do something like this.… You do what you what you have to do to try and make her life better." Additional Info- Hometown State Line, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Jerry Phillips - 50
“I came to UAB through Dr. Locke. I’ve known her for many years. I did some research on UAB and learned it was the leading hospital in the southeast for kidney transplants." Additional Info- Hometown Goldsboro, North Carolina
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Joy Dean - 51
"I think this has been a great learning tool for teaching my own children what it means to give." Additional Info- Hometown Chesapeake, Virginia
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Joe Dorris - 51
“My wife, Carolyn, says since I now have a woman’s kidney that I’m going to be able to multitask. I guess we will see!" Additional Info- Hometown Calera, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Sonya English - 52
“If someone else was thinking about donating a kidney, I would tell them.… that the few days of pain is worth helping someone else add more years to their life." Additional Info- Hometown Oxford, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Jason Berry - 52
“I met my donor after the surgery, and she’s a wonderful person. We talked quite a bit right after the transplant. I was really amazed that she would do that for a stranger." Additional Info- Hometown Eldridge, Alabama (previously and now in New York)
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Vanessa Mencer - 53
“My husband and I know God used us so we could have a testimony to help someone else." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Dwan Shoemake - 53
"People tell me I have less the look of uncertainty, that I look relieved. And being off of dialysis has made such a difference in my life." Additional Info- Hometown Northport, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Mary Sanford - 54
"That was just an amazing thing how they get all the donors and recipients and doctors and nurses together to pull that off." Additional Info- Hometown Ellisville, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Corey Coleman - 54
“I’m proud to be a part of the chain. I hope my story could help inspire people to not be scared of the situation but just face it. Now I’m living a normal life.” Additional Info- Hometown Northport, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Nicole Jordan - 55
“The way I looked at it is that, since I was deemed a great candidate, then for me to hold onto something I didn’t need — but that could save somebody else’s life — would be rather selfish." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Sheldon Vaughn - 55
"I am humbled by all the donors who have come to the program and said, ‘Even if it’s not a family member or a friend, I want to give.’ They are special." Additional Info- Hometown Winfield, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Rhonda Self - 56
“The process was emotional because, once I had made up my mind to do it, I had to answer everyone’s questions. My husband asked why I’d want to do this for someone I didn’t know when it was unnecessary. I… Additional Info- Hometown Brilliant, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 56
Additional Info- Hometown Pensacola, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Divyank Saini - 57
“Working at UAB’s organ transplant lab, I see what patients go through while they’re waiting. I see the painful process of dialysis, so I wanted to help at least one person and their family." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Earnestine Johnson - 57
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 58
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Emmie Jackson - 58
“I know God was with me. I had no pain at all after the surgery, and I told them to take away the pain pump. The morning after, I took my IV pole and started walking. And I haven’t stopped… Additional Info- Hometown York, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 59
Additional Info- Hometown York, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 59
Additional Info- Hometown Cullman, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Carla Owens - 60
"It was really emotional. Everybody started crying and saying, ‘Thank you, thank you!’" Additional Info- Hometown Cullman, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Jerri Whitehead - 60
“I was a little worried at first when I knew it was going to be from a stranger, and then I put it in my head that it was going to work." Additional Info- Hometown Guntersville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Terri Bryant - 61
“The person who got my kidney was a preacher with four kids who had been on dialysis for a while. When I met him and saw the look on his face, it was worth every bit of it right then." Additional Info- Hometown Guntersville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anthony Gross - 61
"I asked her, ‘What made you do it?’ She said, ‘I was trying to save my twin sister, and we didn’t match. But I was a perfect match for you.'" Additional Info- Hometown Anniston, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Laura Burks - 62
“I’ve talked to so many people, and if they ask about kidney donation, I tell them, ‘Just go through the testing and see if you’re able to, and if you’re not scared of surgery, consider it. Because somebody is relying… Additional Info- Hometown Huntsville, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Nathan Farmer - 62
"They told me her kidney matched like it was my own. After I got my transplant, we all met in the same room. Now I have her on Facebook. We talk back and forth every now and then to check… Additional Info- Hometown Grenada, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Nicholas Whitten - 63
"When I understood what it meant to be a kidney donor, I asked to donate. When he started rejecting the kidney transplant he got all of those years ago, I knew what I was going to do." Additional Info- Hometown Water Valley, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Kendra Brooks - 63
"I did not want my mom to give a kidney because I did not want to see her go through the pain. My mother did not listen to me though, because she went behind my back and made an appointment… Additional Info- Hometown Natchez, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Kathryn Brooks - 64
“People see me now and ask, ‘Are you OK?’ They know I gave a kidney, and they think that changes something about you. It’s the just fear of the unknown." Additional Info- Hometown Florissant, Missouri
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Dianna Etheridge - 64
"I am so proud of him. I’ve been telling everybody what he did, that my son did this for me." Additional Info- Hometown Montgomery, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 65
Additional Info- Hometown Montgomery, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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William Harris - 65
"I feel more humbled than anything because Prince had a chance to back out of giving his kidney; but he said he had made a promise, and he was going to do what he set out to do. I am… Additional Info- Hometown Crawford, Mississippi
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Elizabeth Duke - 66
"I feel like I was destined to become a part of this chain. I was the 66th person in the chain, and my husband’s number on his work badge before he retired as a fireman was number 66.” Additional Info- Hometown Anniston, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Elsie Lowe - 66
"Many people involved in the chain did not have ties to anyone, and they could have changed their mind; but I’m glad they didn’t.” Additional Info- Hometown Panama City, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Richard Lowe - 67
"When I first heard about it, I thought there was a lot of faux hype behind it; but going through the process, I feel like a rock star who has had his five minutes of fame." Additional Info- Hometown Tallahassee, Florida
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Elijah Perry - 67
"It makes me want to tell people more about my story so they can get signed up and be able to add onto the chain." Additional Info- Hometown Smiths, Alabama
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 68
Additional Info- Hometown New Brockton, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 68
Additional Info- Hometown Moody, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 69
Additional Info- Hometown New Bern, NC
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 69
Additional Info- Hometown Demopolis, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 70
Additional Info- Hometown Enterprise, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 70
Additional Info- Hometown Coffeeville, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 71
Additional Info- Hometown Coffeeville, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Lisa Baker - 71
"That’s why I donated in 1998, was so my dad could get a kidney. The really cool thing was that Dr. Mark Deierhoi did my dad’s transplant, and he also did mine. I thought that was pretty awesome." Additional Info- Hometown Gadsden, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Keith Applegate - 72
"It’s amazing what science can do. I mean, 70 people in this chain? That tickles me to death." Additional Info- Hometown Gadsden, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 72
Additional Info- Hometown Troy, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 73
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 73
Additional Info- Hometown Chattanooga, TN
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 74
Additional Info- Hometown Miami, FL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Kenneth Hamilton - 74
"There have been so many things and experiences that this kidney transplant has given back to me, and I am certain I will never take that for granted again." Additional Info- Hometown Decatur, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Deana Avery - 75
"I knew in my heart that it felt right – a stranger was saving my daughter’s life and in turn, I was able to give life back to a father and husband. That is such a fulfilling feeling that I… Additional Info- Hometown Helena, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 75
Additional Info- Hometown Salem, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 76
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 76
Additional Info- Hometown Helena, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 77
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 77
Additional Info- Hometown Pelham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Zach Taylor - 78
"I couldn’t imagine Jay’s wife having to raise two children on her own. I looked at the donation as a way to create a better life for all of them." Additional Info- Hometown Lake Oswego, OR
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Jonathan (Shane) Holcomb - 78
"You never think about things like transplants until you need it. It’s an incredible thing to have something like UAB’s transplant program and this kidney chain right here in Alabama." Additional Info- Hometown Faulkville, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Melissa McIntyre - 79
"My biggest fear going into this was not being able to help my brother. It was disappointing when we were told that my kidney was too small for him, because we were a match otherwise. But UAB’s transplant program was… Additional Info- Hometown Woodville, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Victoria Smith - 79
“My biggest fear throughout the whole process was definitely the unknown, because I had never been a sick person before." Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 80
Additional Info- Hometown Huntsville, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 80
Additional Info- Hometown Valley Head, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Bonnie Tucker - 81
"My husband had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and needed two months of radiation treatments in Atlanta. Four days after my surgery, I was able to recover with him! (That was my third miracle!)" Additional Info- Hometown Valley Head, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 81
Additional Info- Hometown Camden, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 82
Additional Info- Hometown Camden, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 82
Additional Info- Hometown Alpine, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 83
Additional Info- Hometown Hamilton, GA
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 83
Additional Info- Hometown Bessemer, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 84
Additional Info- Hometown Empire, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 84
Additional Info- Hometown Lithonia, GA
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anna Hamilton - 85
"Within two days, I had called UAB and said, ‘I want to be a kidney donor for my dad. How do I get started?’" Additional Info- Hometown Knoxville, TN
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Rachel Allday - 85
"When she said she was willing to donate to the UAB Kidney Chain so I could get a kidney, it made me realize just how much she cared about her momma." Additional Info- Hometown Wagarville, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Latrice Newton - 86
“When we first found out my sister, Victoria Smith, was sick, I made a joke and said, ‘If you ever need a kidney, I’ll give you one of mine.’ I didn’t know that down the road she really would need… Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 86
Additional Info- Hometown Montgomery, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Jason Head - 87
"The chain keeps adding links, and you have the same opportunity to impact lives you may never know or touch.” Additional Info- Hometown Alexandria, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 87
Additional Info- Hometown Decatur, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Renona Seibert - 88
"At that moment, all I saw was hopelessness. Right then, something just came over me and I blurted out ‘Dude, you need a kidney? I’ve got two.’" Additional Info- Hometown Decatur, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Ron Simmons - 88
"Before she donated her kidney to me, she named it ‘Ruby’ and even had a going away party for it. So, I’ll call her up sometimes just to let her know that ‘Ruby’ and I are OK." Additional Info- Hometown Albertville, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Regina Daughtery - 89
"Momma had been on the deceased donor list for quite some time and had even gone to UAB a few times as a backup recipient, but had always come home empty-handed." Additional Info- Hometown Leroy, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 89
Additional Info- Hometown Wilmer, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Sandra Simmons - 90
"He has always been special to me, so I wanted to do what I could for him." Additional Info- Hometown Horton, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Wade Patten - 90
“My son-in-law lives right up the road from me, and I see him almost every day. I’ve asked him a good bit if he’s had any problems, and he says he’s had none. He says he can’t even tell now… Additional Info- Hometown Alexander City, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Josh Sammons - 91
“God has blessed me with good health so there was no better way to glorify Him than to give the gift of life." Additional Info- Hometown Alexander City, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Stevie Stephens - 91
“I hope to meet my donor someday, and if I do, it is probably going to really bring out the emotions in me. I think I’m a strong guy and pretty tough, but I’m also pretty emotional and there’s a… Additional Info- Hometown Grove Hill, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Vickie Cockerham - 92
“It’s a small world, I guess, because I live in the little town of Vernon, Alabama, and my recipient lives about 20 miles away in Columbus, Mississippi. It’s like we’re all tied together in something good." Additional Info- Hometown Vernon, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Annie Stewart - 92
“I wish I had all the right words to describe the warm, beautiful feeling I got at the hospital." Additional Info- Hometown Columbus, MS
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Lavuntae Lashley - 93
"I helped the dearest person in my life and the one responsible for most of my success. I also gained a whole new family." Additional Info- Hometown Jackson, MS
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Clarence Young - 93
"I don’t have to worry about always feeling weak and having to go through dialysis three times a week, which is wonderful." Additional Info- Hometown Eufaula, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 94
Additional Info- Hometown Atlanta, GA
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Ronald Gonia - 94
“My donor is a guy in his 30s who was listening to a podcast on effective ways of giving in life. He heard about the UAB Kidney Chain and said, ‘I can do this.’" Additional Info- Hometown Pleasant Grove, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 95
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 95
Additional Info- Hometown Bay Minette, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 96
Additional Info- Hometown Robertsdale, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 96
Additional Info- Hometown Spanish Fort, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 97
Additional Info- Hometown Spanish Fort, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 97
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 98
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 98
Additional Info- Hometown Enterprise, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 99
Additional Info- Hometown Enterprise, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 99
Additional Info- Hometown Scottsboro, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 100
Additional Info- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 100
Additional Info- Hometown Eufala, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 101
Additional Info- Hometown Montgomery, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 101
Additional Info- Hometown Goshen, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 102
Additional Info- Hometown Naples, FL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 102
Additional Info- Hometown Dothan, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 103
Additional Info- Hometown Clinton, MS
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 103
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 104
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 104
Additional Info- Hometown Daleville, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 105
Additional Info- Hometown Lincoln, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 105
Additional Info- Hometown Centre, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 106
Additional Info- Hometown Birmingham, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 106
Additional Info- Hometown Bessemer, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 107
Additional Info- Hometown Bessemer, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 107
Additional Info- Hometown Marianna, FL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Frances Gomez-108
"I can honestly say throughout the whole process — even on the day of the surgery — that I was never nervous. I think it’s because I was doing it for the right reasons. The anxiety and worriedness just never… Additional Info- Hometown Athens, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 108
Additional Info- Hometown Goodwater, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 109
Additional Info- Hometown Goodwater, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 109
Additional Info- Hometown Alexander City, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 110
Additional Info- Hometown Decatur, GA
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 110
Additional Info- Hometown LaFayette, LA
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 111
Additional Info- Hometown LaFayette, LA
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 111
Additional Info- Hometown Montevallo, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient
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Anonymous - 112
Additional Info- Hometown Montevallo, AL
- Donor-Recipient Donor
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Anonymous - 112
Additional Info- Hometown McCalla, AL
- Donor-Recipient Recipient