My Kidney Donation Story: Denise Harper

My daughter’s best friend has diabetes, and when she got pregnant with her son, it made her diabetes much worse, and at age 40, she is now on dialysis. Dialysis has not been kind to her in a lot of ways. So, when she mentioned the possibility of a kidney transplant, I decided to be worked up to see if I could be a donor for her.  

I have worked in dialysis for four and a half years as a nurse. Prior to that, my husband’s dad was on dialysis at home, so it was something I was familiar with, and I know how difficult and devastating it can be.  

I ended up being a match for her, but not a very good one: we had a high eplet mismatch. I decided to donate through the Voucher Program to get her a better match: my donation would generate a voucher to put her at the top of the list for when she was physically ready for a transplant.  

Donated three weeks ago today, on August 26. My kidney went to Yale, so I have an Ivy League kidney. Unfortunately, she is not ready for her transplant yet. It has been a rough road for her, as it is for most patients who have to live on dialysis.  

Prior to my donation, I did line dancing every Tuesday and Friday. I went to line dancing for the first time on Friday, two and a half weeks after my transplant, although I had to sit out a dance or two. I got on the elliptical for the first time yesterday. I was shooting for 15 minutes, but I petered out at 11. And I went line dancing again today.  

There are still some things to work out, but overall, I feel good. I want to encourage people to take that leap, to potentially help somebody, even if they have no clue who they are. To anyone considering kidney donation, I would say, pray about it and go for it.

About the Author

Denise had her first introduction to dialysis in the early 1970s, when she was in middle school. The father of a friend from church was getting hemodialysis at home. He passed away in 1976 at age 57. Denise married his middle son in 1979, while she was in nursing school. Later, she worked in a dialysis facility for 4.5 years. She became great friends with a coworker who also happened to be a patient, who had started dialysis in his late teens. He was eventually able to get a transplant, which allowed him to get married and have a beautiful daughter. He passed away in 2014 at 56, almost 20 years after his transplant. Denise has been a huge supporter of organ donation ever since. During the donation process, Denise learned of another young man who went to school with her kids who needs a kidney. She wishes she had more to give! The best she can do is spread the word and encourage others to give the gift of life while they are still living. After 40+ years of nursing, Denise retired in 2021. She enjoys all things NC State Wolfpack and cruising with her husband. Their last cruise was to Alaska in June 2024 to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. They also enjoy spending time with extended family and their three grandbabies.