I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: News Articles => Topic started by: okarol on April 24, 2009, 11:57:22 PM
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Woman Donates Kidney to Stranger She Met Online
Tracy Schulenberg knows that organ donation is the gift of life. That's why the unemployed woman chose to donate a kidney to a complete stranger.
"I know what I'm giving and I know what they're going to get in return," said Tracy Schulenberg. She's giving a kidney to save someone's life. But what's different about Schulenberg is she's undergoing a major surgery and losing an organ for a complete stranger.
"I'm doing it because somebody else, unfortunately, died for me to get my mom for twelve more years," Schulenberg said. "So I'm giving the three daughters their mom for however long."
Schulenberg's step-mother and step-grandmother both died of polycystic kidney disease. It is a genetic disease that stops kidney function. Since Tracy isn't biologically related, her kidneys are healthy.
"I know this would make her happy to know that I did this for somebody else's mom," Schulenberg said.
Tracy found a Web site that connects patients with donors. She set up a profile and dozens contacted her. But it was a 51-year-old mother of three named Paula, living in New York City, that caught her attention.
"It was really my choice," Schulenberg said. "I got to pick who I wanted and I thought they were the best family. And after meeting them, I was very certain this is the right family."
"Words can't express how I feel," Paula Vasilakos, the kidney recipient, said. "It's so wonderful cause she was just a stranger from a different state."
Tracy flew to New York three weeks ago for tests and to meet the family. She was scheduled to undergo surgery to donate her kidney Thursday.
"If I can prevent her from having to do the dialysis like my mom did and add to her life, than I'm giving them what I given," Schulenberg said.
"It's wonderful, you know," Vasilakos said. "I feel very fortunate."
Tracy will spend two to three days in the hospital and then she'll have a two to four week recovery process.
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0409/615648.html