During Greg Randolph’s final official military physical exam, he was diagnosed with degenerative kidney disease after 24 years of service in the Oklahoma National Guard. Until recently, the condition could be managed through medication. “It’s one thing to talk about kidney failure and dialysis,” Randolph said. “But when you hear ‘implants,’ it punches you in the gut because it’s something you’ve been trying to avoid for 14 years.” Randolph was sent to the Nazih Zuhadi Transplant Institute at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. . He was quickly placed on the transplant list, but the wait began for a suitable donor. “I had known Greg for a few years because our wives were friends. His wife, Gerry, really helped us through the adoption process of our great-niece,” said Randolph’s friend Chris Buck. “And being an active National Guard member myself, we had a lot in common and got on really well.” Of course, Buck hadn’t given much thought to organ donation. Buck said, “I never even thought about being an organ donor before, because I think it’s one of those things you never even think about until someone you know needs it.” Don’t be.” Randolph recalls his first conversation about organ donation. We were just sitting in the backyard eating hamburgers and hot dogs when Chris is like ‘I’ll give you my kidney’. I really didn’t know what to say,” said Randolph. “How do you react to this kind of selflessness?” Randolph and Buck were a perfect match but faced a problem with Buck’s active duty status. Buck needed permission from the Army’s surgeon general. “I think that was for sure,” Buck said. “The way everything fell so smoothly.” Randolph agreed. I personally attribute it to being part of a miracle,” Randolph said. able to give freely – as a recipient there are no words to explain it. It’s a perfect example of what one guard member can give to another guard member.” Ann Scott Samara, MD, a surgical director at the Nazih Zuhadi Transplant Institute, performed the surgery with her son, Shia Samara, MD. “I’m more than 30 years old. I am doing kidney transplant. I am so grateful to the friends and family who come forward to donate kidneys selflessly,” said Samara. “Greg was able to receive Chris’s kidney less than a year after he was listed for a transplant. Whereas the typical waiting time for a deceased donor is typically three to five years.” A living-donor kidney transplant, which accounts for one-third of American kidney transplants, occurs when a kidney from a living donor is obtained. It is given to a recipient whose kidneys are no longer functioning properly. One kidney can replace two failing kidneys, which makes the transplant an alternative to a deceased-donor kidney transplant. The beauty about this is that no one has to die for a miracle to happen.” “Every day, 12 people die waiting for a kidney transplant. Just imagine how many more lives could be saved if more people would consider being a living donor.”
During Greg Randolph’s final official military physical exam, he was diagnosed with degenerative kidney disease after 24 years of service in the Oklahoma National Guard.
Until recently, the condition could be controlled with medicine.
“It’s one thing to talk about kidney failure and dialysis,” Randolph said. “But when you hear ‘transplant,’ it kind of punches your gut because that’s something you’ve been trying to avoid for 14 years.”
Randolph was referred to the Nazih Zuhadi Transplant Institute at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was quickly placed on the transplant list, but the wait for a suitable donor began.
Randolph’s friend Chris Buck said, “I knew Greg for a few years because our wives were friends. His wife, Gerry, really helped us with our great-niece’s adoption process.” “And being an active National Guard member myself, we had a lot in common and got along really well.”
Of course, Buck hadn’t given much thought to organ donation.
Buck said, “I had never considered being an organ donor before, because I think it’s one of those things you never even think about, unless someone you know needs it.” Don’t be.”
Randolph recalls his first conversation about organ donation.
“We were just in the backyard eating hamburgers and hot dogs when Chris is like ‘I’ll give you my kidney,'” Randolph said. I really didn’t know what to say. “How do you react to this kind of selflessness?”
Randolph and Buck were a perfect match but faced a problem with Buck’s active duty status. Buck needed permission from the surgeon general of the army.
“I think it was for sure,” Buck said. “The way everything fell so easily.”
Randolph agreed.
“I personally attribute it to being part of a miracle,” Randolph said. “For someone who cares enough about someone else’s life to take out a large part of their body and give it freely – there are no words to explain it as the recipient. A perfect example of a guard member giving to another guard member.”
Ann Scott Samara, MD, surgical director at the Nazih Zuhadi Transplant Institute, performed the surgery with her son, Shia Samara, MD.
Samara said, “I’ve been doing a kidney transplant for over 30 years. I am grateful to the friends and family who come forward to donate kidneys selflessly.” “Greg was able to get Chris’s kidney less than a year after he was listed for a transplant, whereas the typical waiting time for a deceased donor is typically three to five years.”
A live-donor kidney transplant, which accounts for one third of American kidney transplants, occurs when a kidney from a living donor is given to a recipient whose kidneys are no longer working properly. One kidney can replace two failed kidneys, which makes transplantation an alternative to deceased-donor kidney transplantation.
“The beauty about a living donor transplant is that no one has to die for a miracle to happen,” Samara said. “Every day, 12 people die waiting for a kidney transplant. Just imagine how many more lives could be saved if more people would consider being a living donor.”
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