I'm a bit out of place as I write this month, on a quick visit with my spouse's parents nearly a thousand miles closer to the equator.  Even though I've briefly left the snow in Boston behind, I'm surrounded by the sights and sounds of the commercial onslaught of the season of giving.  Perhaps you, too, are sometimes overwhelmed by overly cynical advertising campaigns more focused on conspicuous consumption than sincere expressions of altruism.  Fortunately, we know that here at LDO! we can tell our own stories, hear the stories of others, be welcome, and understood, as we so seldom are in the wider world.  Welcome.  Remember, with us, these people, and the gifts they've given.

Fifty-eighth anniversary
Ronald Herrick donated a kidney to his brother on December 23rd, 1954. Ron died at age 79 on December 27th, 2010.

Twenty-seventh anniversary
Robert A. Hancox donated a kidney to his sister on December 11th, 1985

Twenty-first anniversary
Juanita DeVeaux donated a kidney to her daughter on December 4th, 1991

Eighteenth anniversary
Natalie Cardoza donated a kidney to her sister on December 21st, 1994

Seventeenth anniversary
Emmitt Lee Lewis donated a kidney to his little brother, Glen, on December 8th, 1995. Emmitt's daughter, Deborah Lewis-Grimes, says they were the first African-American living donor-recipient siblings in the U.S.
Sheila Leander donated a kidney to her husband, Brian, on December 27th, 1995

Thirteenth anniversary
Heather Roberts donated a kidney to her father in December, 1999. He died in 2012, with kidney function still good.
Cheryl McCullough donated part of her liver to her husband on December 14th, 1999

Eleventh anniversary
Phillip Ondler donated a kidney to his sister on December 14th, 2001
Bob Jauch donated part on his liver to his daughter on December 20th, 2001
Janice O'Connell donated a kidney to friend on December 26th, 2001

Tenth anniversary
Bill Shummel donated a kidney anonymously on December 17th, 2002

Ninth anniversary
Micheline donated a kidney to a friend on December 5th, 2003
Kevin donated part of his liver to his father on December 8th, 2003
Barbara Sher donated a kidney to her brother on December 9th, 2003
Larry Miller donated a kidney to his daughter on December 16th, 2003
Melanie Wallace donated a kidney to a stranger on December 16th, 2003
Kathryn Jones donated part of her liver to a friend on December 18th, 2003. Her friend died two months later.
Bev donated a kidney to a stranger on December 23, 2003
Elizabeth A. Miller donated a kidney to a friend on December 30th, 2003
Lisa Ornelas donated a kidney to her sister on December 30th, 2003

Eighth anniversary
Sara Wright donated a kidney to her brother on December 1st, 2004
Becky Livingston donated a kidney to her cousin on December 12th, 2004

Seventh anniversary
Mary Kirk donated a kidney to her brother-in-law on December 6th, 2005
Charlotte Buckley donated a kidney to a friend's mother on December 7th, 2005
Jay Paustian donated a kidney to a friend on December 13th, 2005
Amanda Gedraitis donated a kidney anonymously on December 15th, 2005
Coleen Damon donated a kidney to her mother on December 27th, 2005
Doug Boston donated a kidney to an unrelated recipient on December 28th, 2005

Sixth anniversary
Rick Hodgkins donated a kidney to his mother on December 7th, 2006
Brian Earnshaw donated a kidney to his uncle on December 12th, 2006
Wayne Ellenberger donated a kidney to a stranger on December 12th, 2006
Billie Ward donated part of her liver to an unrelated recipient on December 22nd, 2006
Mary Lou Hery donated a kidney to her daughter on December 22, 2006
Lisa donated a kidney to her daughter on December 27th, 2006

Fifth anniversary
Louise in Canada donated a kidney to an anonymous unrelated recipient on December 3rd, 2007
Sylvia Toler donated a kidney to her husband, Steve, on December 4th, 2007
Connie Watts donated a kidney to her cousin on December 7th, 2007
Christine Robinson made a non-directed donation on December 11th, 2007
Brett Menzy donated a kidney to an unrelated recipient on December 18th, 2007
Eric Savage donated a kidney to his father on December 18th, 2007

Fourth anniversary
Craig Tohill donated a kidney to his Aunt Sue on December 7th, 2008
Tom Moore donated a kidney to his brother on December 9th, 2008
Joshua donated a kidney to a stranger on December 10th, 2008

Third anniversary
Rob Upham donated a kidney to Sandra Erice on December 7th, 2009
Pamela Hull donated a kidney in the 2009 Georgetown exchange (one of 13 donors) so her cousin could receive a kidney on December 8th, 2009
Bill Martinez donated a kidney to his cousin, Nicholas, on December 9th, 2009
Kimberly Jensen donated a kidney to an unrelated person, Bill Flitton, on December 9th, 2009
Matt Knowles donated a kidney to his wife on December 9th, 2009
Gina Mingrone became a non-directed donor in the New England Paired Kidney Exchange (NEPKE) on December 15th, 2009, initiating a chain of donors and recipients from Maine to New jersey and back!
Kara Lucca donated a kidney as 1 of 13 donors in a nationwide chain on December 17th, 2009, while her husband was 1 of 13 recipients
Lori Wagner donated a kidney to her father on December 29th, 2009

Second anniversary
Ellie started a non-directed kidney donor chain on December 16th, 2010

First anniversary
Jody Woodward made a non-directed kidney donation on December 8th, 2011
Curtis donated a kidney in a chain on December 12th, 2011
Lisa Goldberg donated a kidney to her father, Larry Berg, on December 15th, 2011
Kris Oien donated a kidney to Clifford, an unrelated person, on December 16th, 2011

Thank you for your time and effort in posting, John.
I thought I would let you know that Heather Roberts' (Thirteenth Anniversary) lost her father earlier this year, unrelated to kidney disease. She was very close to him, but grateful that her gift gave him years that he may not have had. Please add prayers and thoughts for her and her family.

     Great service! Thanks again.
     A little glitch on the "4th anniversary": Tom Moore and "Oldnslow" are the same person. Don't know which is the exact date of donation.
   Fr. Pat

I probably say something like this every year, but wow, I can't believe it's been 3 years! Things are great for my husband and myself, health-wise. He still does monthly blood draws and sees his nephrologist twice a year. I see my GP once a year for a full panel of blood work.

Such a beautiful thing, to be on the other side of dialysis and pre-transplant worries, as well as past the early, stressful days post-transplant (the rough stuff lasted for about 4 months). We will never take good health for granted, that's for sure.

Kara

Thanks for the updates!  Happy kidneyversary, Kara!

Thanks, Clark! We get to celebrate for 2 days since we had our surgeries one day apart (me yesterday and Joe today). I used the opportunity to thank all of our friends and family members who helped us out post-surgery (dog walking, bringing meals, driving, etc.). We will never forget all of the generosity!

Kara