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Two kidney transplant patients trade donors

Karen Stokes, of Dayton, listens to her doctor at the University of Cincinnati East Campus Academic Health Center, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009. Stokes is recieving a kidney as part of a paired donation program.

Greg Lynch/Staff Karen Stokes, of Dayton, listens to her doctor at the University of Cincinnati East Campus Academic Health Center, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009. Stokes is recieving a kidney as part of a paired donation program.

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By Marie Rossiter, Staff Writer 10:54 PM Tuesday, August 25, 2009

It’s a rare case of two wrongs making a right.

Karen Stokes of Dayton needs a kidney transplant due to complications from type 1 diabetes. Her friend, John Tatman, was willing to donate a kidney to her. Unfortunately, he was not a compatible donor.

Meanwhile, 134 miles away in Lexington, Ky., Russell Hiler was ready to donate a kidney to his father, Paul Hiler, who also suffers from kidney failure due to type 1 diabetes complications. Russell also received the news that he was not a match and could not help his father.

According to the Alliance of Paired Donation, Stokes and Paul Hiler are two of 83,000 in the United States who need a kidney transplant. Approximately 12 people die each day waiting for a kidney, according to APD.

In April, Stokes and Tatman put their names on a paired donation list at University Hospital in Cincinnati. Less than a month later, a match was found.

The paired donation database showed that Stokes could receive a kidney from Russell Hiler, and that Tatman was a donor match for Paul Hiler.

The two pairs met each other Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center.

“I’m anxious and excited to get things going and I’m just a donor,” said Tatman.

The transplants are scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Friday at University Hospital. Dr. Steve Woodle, chief of transplant surgery, said four separate surgeries will take place simultaneously.

Keep reading: Dayton woman reluctant to ask for donation

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