Hallie’s husband, Richard, was diagnosed with stage 5 kidney failure at just 34 years old. He was a young dad, a former college athlete, and someone who had always faced lupus and chronic kidney disease with grit and determination.
“When you see someone you love hurting, all you want to do is help,” said Hallie. Since the wait for a kidney transplant may have taken too long for Richard, Hallie wanted to donate one of her kidneys, but she wasn’t a match.
Then, Hallie learned about living donation — specifically, paired kidney exchange. “If I couldn’t donate directly to Richard, I could still give my kidney to someone else in need, and in return, their loved one could donate to Richard.”
Hallie bravely donated her kidney to a young girl, while the girl’s mother donated a kidney to Richard.
She reflects, “Through the gift of paired donation, we were able to restore Richard’s health and give a little girl the chance to grow up and live out her dreams.”