Wife Gives Kidney To Husband

Wife Gives Kidney To Husband

Last Edited: Sunday, 17 Feb 2008, 10:15 PM EST

A Bucks County couple celebrated a very special Valentine's Day weekend with friends and family.

"I gave her flowers for Valentine's and I got her kidney. That's a pretty good deal," said Sean Moran jokingly.

On Tuesday, Sean and Marlene Moran who have been married for 23 years, will undergo surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Marlene is donating one of her kidneys to her husband to help him stay healthy. Sean was diagnosed with Wagener's disease.

"It's an autoimmune disease which attacks your kidneys, your lungs, your sinuses. For me it was kidney specific. It pretty much took my kidneys out," said Sean. He did regain some function of his kidneys but contracted meningitis. "Thankfully the kidneys regained enough function. I've been off dialysis for five years."

"We knew he was on borrowed time with the kidney," said Marlene.

So Sean got on the transplant list. Marlene got tested. Marlene said she was doubtful of a positive match. "Let's start with me but it was a long shot," she said.

The long shot ended up being a sure shot. It's rare for non-blood relatives to be donor matches. "I never thought I'd be a compatible match. I never thought I would be a living donor. You know the poster of the cat on the ceiling. I was at work. I didn't even understand what he said," said Marlene. "I was just floored. I was on the ceiling."

There is much relief for the Morans. The couple has two daughters, 19-year-old Carrie and 17-year-old Kate. They expected Sean to be on a transplant list for five years before finding a match. The family realizes how fortunate they are but Sean calls this bittersweet. He says he's nervous about the transplant but Marlene says "I think we were put together by a higher being. He's driving this. He's the one who drove us together."

At the Moran's Plumsteadville home, a small party of friends and family gathered Sunday night. One of Marlene's closest friends offered a prayer. "Heavenly Father, there's so much love in this house, so much love for these two people and their family. Please God be with the surgeons."

"We're looking forward to a lot more years together. We have a lot to live for and want to do it together," said Marlene.

By Julie Kim

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