Colleagues Who Donated Kidneys to Each Other's Husbands "Gained Another Family"... A 'Miraculous Story' from the US

Tia Wimbush and Susan Ellis, who work together at a pediatric medical institution in Atlanta, Georgia, became lifesavers by donating kidneys to each other's husbands.
[Photo by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta]

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] A miraculous story of colleagues who have worked together for over a decade becoming lifesavers by donating organs to each other's husbands was reported by foreign media on the 7th (local time).

Tia Wimbush (45) and Susan Ellis, who work at a children's medical institution in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, are coworkers, and both of their husbands were in need of kidney transplants.

Wimbush's husband Rodney (45) was diagnosed with kidney failure in August 2019. As his symptoms rapidly worsened, he was placed on the kidney transplant waiting list last spring, but due to the decrease in donors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he had to wait indefinitely.

Ellis's husband Lance was also suffering from kidney disease. He had received a kidney transplant from his mother several years ago, but his body rejected it, leading to acute kidney failure. Immediately after the diagnosis, he had to undergo dialysis treatment for 5 to 6 hours daily.

Then, last fall, Wimbush and Ellis happened to meet in the workplace restroom. After months of not seeing each other due to COVID-19, they caught up in person and soon discovered an astonishing fact.

Wimbush's blood type perfectly matched that of Ellis's husband Lance, and Ellis also had a blood type compatible for transfusion and organ donation to Wimbush's husband Rodney.

Without hesitation, the two expressed their desire to donate kidneys to each other's husbands. After undergoing detailed examinations together at the hospital, they were all deemed suitable as organ donors in October last year.

Tia Wimbush and Susan Ellis, who work together at a pediatric medical institution in Atlanta, Georgia, became lifesavers by donating kidneys to each other's husbands.
[Photo by GMA]

However, the transplant surgeries were not performed immediately. Initially scheduled for December last year, the surgery was postponed when Lance was hospitalized due to complications from acute kidney failure. The surgery was then planned for January, but was delayed again when Ellis tested positive for COVID-19 the day before the operation.

Finally, on March 19, the organ transplant surgeries were carried out. Wimbush donated a kidney to Lance, and Ellis donated a kidney to Rodney. All surgeries were successfully completed, and Rodney and Lance regained the health they desperately wished for.

Wimbush said, "It was not as easy a process as I had thought, but if I had to do it again, I would make the same choice," adding, "The emotions I felt after the surgery are indescribable." She also said, "Organ donation was the most precious experience of my life. I gave a new life to someone dear, and gained another family."

Rodney tearfully said, "The Ellis couple is like family to me. I will live my life grateful for everything Susan has done for me," and Lance expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thanks to Wimbush, my life has changed. I feel as if I am living in a fairy tale."