“My sister has been a diabetic for many, many years — since childhood. She began to have health problems as she got older. First it was one thing and then another. Of course the diabetes took a toll on her kidneys, but then some of the other issues did, too.
“She started talking about the possibility of getting a kidney donation. All of her siblings — four of us — decided to be tested, as did our spouses. I was the only one out of all of us that were tested that was able to be a donor, but we didn’t match.
“Melanie Guzzo, a transplant coordinator at UAB, was so good to us all through it. I wouldn’t trade her for a million dollars. She talked to me about the paired program. We discussed it and prayed about it, and I talked to my sister. I told her I couldn’t give her a kidney, but I could give one so she could get one. So, we did.
“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. But I wasn’t putting myself into harm’s way to help her. It was the way we were raised. You help who you can with whatever you can. I didn’t have any second thoughts about it and didn’t have any problems making the initial decision.
“Robin is just a different person. She looks healthier than she’s looked in years and years. As for me, I feel fine. I’m back to work full time as a 911 supervisor in Montgomery. I lost 20-25 pounds during the course of the surgery and recovery and I’ve kept 20 of it off. “I don’t have any health issues. I would do it again. The recovery part of it is a little difficult, but I would do it again.
“The way I look at this is that it’s just another way that God shows his wonderful powers and the miracles he can work. Who would have ever thought you could take a kidney from somebody that wasn’t related to you and give it to somebody and give them life. It reaffirms my thoughts on how great God’s power is. It’s a fabulous program.”
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."