Forty years later, man connects with organ donor’s family, celebrates Gift of Life at UK
KY Forward | Allison Perry
Photo: Organ recipient Jim Halcomb, center, joined his family at the Gift of Life Memorial Celebration at UK Chandler Hospital. (Photo from UKNow)
Halcomb, who was only 20 years old at the time, suffered from severe kidney disease and required dialysis three times a week, eight hours at a time. After his transplant, his health improved, and he moved on with his life, serving as a police officer for more than 25 years.
Because of the rules and regulations surrounding organ donation at the time of his transplant, he never knew that he could contact the family of his organ donor to express his appreciation. But that changed last month, when Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) and UK HealthCare facilitated communications between Halcomb and his donor’s family.
With the encouragement of Donna Slone, the client services coordinator for KODA at UK HealthCare, Halcomb wrote the donor family a letter, thanking them all for their sacrifice.
“It was very difficult to write,†Halcomb said. “A lot of emotions, a lot of time had passed. But Donna just said, ‘Speak from the heart.’â€
Forty years ago, Perry County native Jim Halcomb received the gift of life â€" in the form of a new kidney â€" from an anonymous organ donor.
Halcomb, who was only 20 years old at the time, suffered from severe kidney disease and required dialysis three times a week, eight hours at a time. After his transplant, his health improved, and he moved on with his life, serving as a police officer for more than 25 years.
Because of the rules and regulations surrounding organ donation at the time of his transplant, he never knew that he could contact the family of his organ donor to express his appreciation. But that changed last month, when Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) and UK HealthCare facilitated communications between Halcomb and his donor’s family.
With the encouragement of Donna Slone, the client services coordinator for KODA at UK HealthCare, Halcomb wrote the donor family a letter, thanking them all for their sacrifice.
“It was very difficult to write,†Halcomb said. “A lot of emotions, a lot of time had passed. But Donna just said, ‘Speak from the heart.’â€
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In California:
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www.organdonor.gov | www.donatelife.net
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