Special kidney transplant would be first for Oregon

Special kidney transplant would be first for Oregon

Story Published: Aug 28, 2008 at 10:29 AM PDT
By Meghan Kalkstein

EUGENE, Ore. - A local mother survived cancer, lived with a kidney disease and even had a baby. Now she's beating Th odds again with a never been performed before surgery at O.H.S.U.

13 month old Kaylyn is happy and healthy, and achievement her mom Kim DeAngelis is proud of. "We were told we would more likely than not never have our own child because of chemotherapy," says DeAngelis.

In 2001, DeAngelis was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. "It was a very large tumor in front of my heart and lung and wrapped around the aorta," says DeAngelis.

She's now cancer free, but this sacred heart nurse faces another battle. A birth defect caused DeAngelis to loose a kidney years ago, now the other is only working at about 15 percent. The wait time for a transplant is two years, so she prepared for dialysis. But she hopes it won't come to that because she found a match, in her sister, who doesn't want to be recognized for her donation.

"She's 'A' negative and I'm 'O' positive," says DeAngelis.

Doctors say although their blood type and sub-type don't match their tissue does. So DeAngelis is heading to OHSU for a first ever surgery in Oregon a kidney transplant with blood types that are not usually compatible.

"We were really afraid that even when Kim's sister was a good tissue match that we'd have to go back on the list and wait a few years but the Doctor said lets go ahead lets do it," says Brian Holmes, Kim's husband.

Now the family is hoping the surgery will give DeAngelis a chance to help raise her daughter as a happy healthy mom.

DeAngelis' insurance will cover her medical bills. But we found out the family is hoping to raise extra funds to cover transportation. They've created an account at Wells Fargo in her name.

http://www.kval.com/news/local/27608659.html