The kidney of Cera Fearing has experienced an apparently unprecidented journey. Cera's brother Ray suffers from a kidney disease known as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), which essentially causes scar tissue to form around the organ and ultimately causes kidney failure. Cera, in a selfless act of bravery, donated one of her kidneys to her brother. When the graft failed to successfully take (approximately 50% of transplants fail in FSGS patients), Dr. Lorenzo Gallon transplanted the kidney to a second recipient.
Ray Fearing thought passing his sister's kidney on to another patient “seemed like the right thing to do.” Erwin Gomez, the second recipient, is now doing well. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), this is the first time a living recipient in the U.S. has donated the organ they received.
As for Cera Fearing, whose kidney has made history and saved someone's life, she's just happy her donation could help somebody.
With nearly 100,000 people waiting for kidneys, any help (and reason for hope) is greatly appreciated.
