As Jamaica residents Bonnie and Russell Allen were getting ready to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary this year, Bonnie gave her husband a very special gift – one of her kidneys.
Russell had been in renal failure for two years and began dialysis in June of 2008. Bonnie said that making the decision to donate her kidney was an easy one to make.
“My only hope and prayer [was] that I would be an acceptable donor,” she said.
However, Russell said that he at first did not want his wife to donate out of concern, saying that he did not want something to happen to her during the process.
“I just didn’t want to see something happen to her as a result of making this sacrifice,” Russell said.
After a lot of convincing, Russell finally agreed. He said that throughout their entire marriage Bonnie had never asked him for anything until she asked that he accept her kidney.
But, there was still another important matter that had to be figured out before the couple could go through with the surgery. They are Jehovah’s Witnesses and do not accept whole blood transfusions.
The team of doctors at North Shore University Hospital worked with the couple to come up with a solution. Russell explained that they used a cell saver machine for both he and his wife during the transplant, which took place on Match 9. During the operation, the machine took the blood coming from their wounds, cleaned it and sent it back into the body.
The Allens spoke about their experience during the hospital’s 7th Annual Gift of Life celebration.
Following the procedure, Allen said that although they both felt discomfort, they did not feel any pain. Both said that they now feel great, and Russell added that he has more energy than he has had in years.
Bonnie said that she truly feels that this process has brought the two of them closer together.
During the Gift of Life celebration, recipients, donors and the staffs that make it all possible were recognized.
“What this is all about is a sense of community. It’s about the idea of giving and it’s about sharing a life, saving lives, promoting hope and showing the interdependence among us all,” said Michael Dowling, the president and CEO of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. He also said, “We are saving lives that otherwise would not be saved.”
Other speakers during the event included kidney recipient Mary Graffeo; Dr. Ernesto Molmenti, the Surgical Director of the North Shore University Transplant Center; Linda Bowes, the Director of Hospital and Family Services at the NY Organ Donor Network; Dr. Louis Kavoussi, the chairman of urology at the North Shore-LIJ Health System; and Dr. Vicki LoPachin, the Medical Director of North Shore University Hospital.
“I can’t think of a higher level of service to mankind than something like this being done,” Kavoussi said of organ donation.
The Allens said that they wanted to share their story to let other Jehovah’s Witness know that there are people out there who will work with them to solve such medical issues. They also said that since their experience they have had family and friends become donors.
