| News From Transplant Week of May 20, 2001 / Vol. 2 No. 20 |
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Waitress-Customer Donation Latest Living-Donor Success Story |
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In the rapidly expanding universe of living unrelated organ transplants, which in recent months has seen teacher-pupil, employee-employer and pastor-parishoner kidney donations, Texas is now the site of the latest variation: waitress-donating-kidney-to-customer. Ruth White, 44, who works the third shift at the Waffle House on Highway 80 in Mesquite, Texas, earlier this month donated one of her kidneys to police officer Lynn Stephens, 44, who most every night on patrol duty would stop at the restaurant for a cup of coffee. The dialogue that led to White becoming a donor for officer Stephens began early one morning in February, when she asked him about adding "organ donor" to her driver's license. Stephens confided that he was on dialysis and had been on a kidney waiting list for three years. "When Lynn told me he was on the waiting list, I didn't hesitate," added White. "I knew I had to help. I don't understand why I was born with two healthy kidneys and Lynn had none. Why not share what God gave me?" White, whose children supported her decision after she explained that her regular customers were like family, was subsequently found to be a perfect match for Stephens, and the transplant took place at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas on May 1. Both are now home and reported getting stronger by the day. White, who for 22 years has worked in Waffle Houses around the Dallas area, has been named a "Waffle House Hero," and will receive a pin from the company president. Other Sources: Waffle House |
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