Jamie Hansard and Sara Gragg have been friends for more than a decade. While the women shared many things, a surgery in October of 2016 brought them closer together than they had ever thought.
Hansard said she was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease in February 2016. Two months later her doctors determined she should have a kidney transplant. By July, Hansard was approved and placed on the national waiting list.
“The average wait time for a cadaver kidney is three and a half to six years now because there is thousands and thousands of people on that list ,” Hansard said.
Hansard’s doctors at UMC suggested she try to find a living donor. Hansard admits she was nervous to ask her friends and family for an organ donation, so she tried a different approach. She said she told people about her situation and waited for people to volunteer.
“I shared my story with many people and within a short period of time I had seven people step up and fill out a donor application form for me,” Hansard said.
Two of those people were Gragg and her husband. In September doctors announced Gragg was a match.
Hansard said she repeatedly told Gragg she did not have to make the donation.
“We had really open, honest conversations with each other,” Hansard said. “And of course, the entire time I kept saying to her ‘You don’t have to do this’ and once we worked through all the emotional journey we had to work through and then it was simply ‘OK let’s do this.'”
The surgery was performed on October 17, at UT Southwestern in Dallas. It was a success.
“I felt so much better than I had felt in a long time,” Hansard said. “I’ve continued to progress and I am doing really well.”
Gragg was back at work within 10 days, while Hansard was back after three weeks of recovery. Now having experienced organ donation for herself, Hansard is using her experience to educate others.
“Throughout my journey,” Hansard said. “I met so many people through all different walks of life. Some people were younger and older, been on dialysis for many, many years but had never pursued transplant. And they didn’t understand how I could when I immediately found out that was the first thing I was doing and I just think because it is a lack of education and a lack of awareness of all the opportunities.”
Hansard credits the South Plains Kidney Foundation for the support they gave her and Gragg during the process. If you would like more information about finding a donor or becoming one, visit their website.