When Kenneth King found out that he needed a renal transplant, he knew he would have to travel a significant distance to a hospital that performed the procedure. Although there were closer transplant clinics, Kenneth and his family chose Methodist—150 miles away—because it came so highly recommended.
While Kenneth underwent evaluation at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s dedicated transplant clinic, his wife, Angie, and nephew, Steven, went to The Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center to be screened as potential donors. Angie was a donor match for her husband, and days later donated one of her kidneys to Kenneth in a successful transplant.
“All along I knew it was going to be me,” Angie said. “There was never a doubt in my mind.” Kenneth’s body not only accepted Angie’s kidney, but also recovered much more quickly than his physicians predicted; the family went home to Nacogdoches, Texas, a month earlier than planned.
“I can’t tell you how grateful I am to the staff and medical professionals of Methodist … I couldn’t have asked for better care,” Kenneth says. As for his wife’s loving and life-changing gift, he says, “Sometimes your heroes are closer than you think.”
