A Kidney At Last! After months of the Calling All Kidney campaign...

[Clark]

http://danvers.patch.com/articles/a-kidney-at-last

A Kidney At Last!
After months of the Calling All Kidney campaign, the Skinner family has found a kidney donor.
By Molly Buccini

It was about five months ago, on May 17, that Danvers Patch first shared the story of a local family in search of a kidney.

Now, the Calling All Kidneys campaign, which has been broadcasted locally through businesses around town, and nationally through social media, has been deemed a success. Last week the Skinner family confirmed: they have found a kidney donor.

Jennifer Boyd, a longtime friend of the Skinner family, who currently lives in Fort Collins, CO, had contemplated the idea of being a donor for Anne for the past year. The 44-year-old with two teenage sons had the support of her husband, friends, and coworkers, and after some extensive research, she told the Skinners that she was going to begin the testing process.

"The greatest moment came when I realized that Jennifer had passed all of her major testing and had been voted approved to be a living kidney donor," said Mike Skinner, husband of Anne Casalle Skinner for the past 16 years.

"Throughout this process I knew I could never ask anyone to donate a kidney, that all I could do was get our story out there and someone would come forward," he said. "Yet, it still does not prepare you for someone like Jennifer who truly wrapped her mind around this and has followed up at every stage of this process and is quite prepared."

The transplant will be taking place sometime at the end of October or beginning of November.

Throughout the search for a kidney, the Skinners had remained optimistic, but cautious. Medical ruleouts, or an individual deciding not to go through with donating was an unfortunate reality.

"When she made her arrangements to come to Mass General for three days of extensive testing we knew she was serious," said Skinner.

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