When Karen’s kidneys started failing, her brother Scott didn’t think twice — he got tested to be her donor. The decision was simple: She was his sister, and he would do anything to save her.
This is their story — through tests, surgery, and recovery — showing what it truly means to give the gift of life.
Why do you have two kidneys?
Maybe it’s because you only need one to live — and one to give.
![Karen and Scott in hospital gowns in a pre-op area.]](https://www.rush.edu/sites/default/files/media-images/A-Kidney-For-My-Sister-1.webp)
Karen and Scott before their kidney donation surgery.
Like a car’s exhaust system, your kidneys remove waste from your body through urine. They’re nature’s built-in filtration system, keeping your blood clean and your body balanced. But when they fail, waste builds up, and the body can’t function — just like a car breaking down. That’s where a kidney transplant comes in.
Join us on the journey of one of the hundreds of kidney transplants we perform each year and see why Rush is ranked among the best hospitals in the U.S. for kidney transplants by U.S. News & World Report.
Where will your kidney come from?
Just like on the highway, the fastest lane is often the carpool lane. Karen is getting a kidney from her brother Scott. This is called a “living donor kidney donation.”
If you know someone willing to share a kidney, they don’t have to be a perfect match anymore. Enter the kidney chain — a lifesaving swap where one donation can trigger a ripple effect, helping multiple people find their perfect match.
Karen and Scott arrive at Rush for their kidney evaluations.
Nathalie Sela, MD, arrives to evaluate Karen, who needs a new kidney.
Karen has blood tests to see how her sick kidneys are currently functioning.
Karen and Sela discuss the surgery and what to expect.
Scott is donating his kidney, so he meets with a different team for his donor evaluation.
Living donors have their own dedicated care team separate from the recipient, focused on their safety, health, and recovery. And here’s the best part: Most donors go home the next day, living completely normal lives with one kidney … and one incredible legacy.
Scott has blood tests to make sure he’s a good candidate to give the gift of life.
Donor advocates help make sure Scott understands every step of the process.
Oyedolamu K. Olaitan, MD, makes sure Scott is healthy enough to donate his kidney.
The call that changes everything
A team of experts meets to talk about the results of these tests, and if they all agree, they proceed with the surgery.
Doctors, nurses, donor advocates, and social workers meet to discuss the results of Karen and Scott’s evaluations and make a final decision about donation.
When the call comes, it’s go time!
A dedicated social worker helps Scott and Karen know exactly where to go and what to expect on their donation day.
On transplant day, the hospital is buzzing with movement: pharmacists, nurses, social workers and an entire surgical team preparing for a life-changing moment.
Olaitan checks in with Scott before his surgery.
Down the hall, Karen is prepped and excited to get her new kidney!
Scott and Karen share a hug and a moment of gratitude before their surgeries begin.
Inside the operating room
Two operating rooms. Two patients. One shared goal: a second chance at life.
Scott is wheeled into the OR first.
First, the living donor’s kidney is carefully removed using laparoscopic surgery — tiny incisions, faster healing and less pain. At the same time, the recipient’s surgery begins, preparing their body for its new kidney.
Olaitan begins the surgery to remove one of Scott’s kidneys.
A large team of doctors, residents, nurses, and more enable donors to safely and comfortably give the gift of life.
The latest technology, including minimally invasive surgery, helps Olaitan make smaller incisions and do more precise work, so Scott can go home feeling good the very next day.
The moment the kidney is out, it’s all about speed.
The team prepares the kidney to Karen’s operating room.
Journey of a kidney
A kidney doesn’t have much time outside the body. It’s immediately packed in a sterile container on ice — yes, like a beach cooler, but with way bigger stakes than spilled drinks. If traveling, it’s tracked by GPS to ensure it arrives safely. The less time outside, the better the results.
Scott’s kidney is wheeled into Karen’s OR for her side of the surgery.
Scott’s kidney is placed inside Karen’s body. They leave Karen’s old, nonfunctioning kidneys inside, so now she has three kidneys!
The kidney wakes up
Scott’s kidney is prepared to go into Karen’s body, where it will start cleaning her blood immediately.
Once the new kidney is placed and blood starts flowing, something incredible happens — it starts working right away. Living donor kidneys often begin filtering and producing urine instantly, while deceased donor kidneys take a little longer to adjust. Either way, this is the moment a life changes forever.
Recovery
Scott wakes up feeling good, knowing he saved his sister’s life.
Most living donors leave the hospital the very next day, feeling great and back to normal activities within a week.
Karen checks in with her surgeon, Edward Hollinger, MD, after her successful transplant.
Recipients? They head home after three days with a new kidney, a second chance, and a personalized care plan. New medications. Regular checkups with a dedicated team. A future without dialysis.
Scott and Karen share a hug at their follow-up appointment a few weeks later.
Give the gift of life
Nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a kidney transplant. The difference between waiting years and getting a kidney today? You.
You have the power to save a life. Whether through living donation or registering as an organ donor, you can be the reason someone’s wait is over. Because waiting for a train is hard … but waiting for a kidney? That’s way harder.