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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Happy Valentine's Day


Nothing says I LOVE YOU like, “Here Honey, have one of my kidneys!” 

All joking aside, this February 15th marks the 4th anniversary of a very selfless act of organ donation.  Grounds Crew Motor Equipment Operator David Skehan donated one of his kidneys to his wife Michele, who also happens to be a MCC employee, February 15, 2006.  Michele was stricken with kidney disease and was on the organ transplant list awaiting a donor.  While Michele and her family processed all the information and took all the necessary steps one is faced with at such a time, it was David who without hesitation volunteered to donate one of his kidneys to his wife. 

Kidney transplants are one of only 5 transplants which currently allow living donation versus strictly deceased donation (kidney; lobe of a lung; portion of the liver, pancreas, or intestine). 

David underwent a barrage of extensive testing encompassing 3 weeks to be approved by the Doctors to be the donor.  He and Michele juggled schedules around work and the surgery date was set.  Then one week prior to the scheduled David/Michele transplant date, Michele received a phone call from Strong’s Transplant Unit:  they had a kidney for her! - A 64 year old deceased donor from Oregon.  David no longer needed to sacrifice a part of himself to save his wife.  They quickly talked things over and it was David who insisted to proceed with the plans that were already laid out for them.  He felt Michele’s chances of transplant success were greater receiving his kidney, from a younger healthy active living donor, vs. one from an older deceased donor on the other side of the country.  One could actually say David saved two lives with that decision that day, that of his beloved Michele and that of the next person on the transplant list.

Their scheduled transplant proceeded as planned with great success!  Michele and David both live healthy, active, normal, full lives – together!  And each Valentine’s Day marks an even deeper meaning of love, appreciation and commitment to them.

This past September David and Michele worked on the MCC team for the National Kidney Foundation’s campaign and fundraiser “Casual For Kidneys” to raise funds and awareness about kidney disease.   The event included a dress-down day on Friday and a Kidney Walk on Saturday.  They worked with other MCC employees Alberta Lee and Diane Navarro, whose families have also been touched by kidney disease, and Anne Kirkpatrick and Nina Tracy.  Team MCC raised just over $1,807!

Happy 4th anniversary to David and Michele this February; and keep them in mind this September during the next annual National Kidney Foundation campaign.  Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!

Donna Utter
Facilities
02/12/2010