Kidney donors, recipients meet for the first time in Missouri

ALL RIGHT. A VERY SPECIAL REUNION AT RESEARCH MEDICAL CENTER TODAY. TWO ORGAN DONORS MEETING THEIR RECIPIENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME. KMBC NINE S ALAN SHOPE WAS AT RESEARCH MEDICAL CENTER FOR THE SPECIAL MOMENT. I WANTED TO HELP SOMEONE. MEGAN HALL THINKS IT’S PRETTY AMAZING THAT A PART OF HER IS HELPING SAVE THE LIFE OF SOMEONE SHE’D NEVER MET. I THINK IT’S AWESOME. GOING ALMOST A WHOLE YEAR NOT KNOWING WHO WOULD GIVE YOU SUCH A WONDERFUL GIFT. CINDY DELONG RECEIVING MEGAN’S KIDNEY DONATION LAST YEAR. SHE’S JUST AN AMAZING PERSON. THE TWO MEETING FACE TO FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THURSDAY. I’M SO READY JUST TO GET TO KNOW HER. I MEAN, SHE’S FAMILY NOW. UNKNOWN TO CINDY, A FRIEND FROM CHURCH, TIM VANDELL, HEARD ABOUT HER STORY AND QUIETLY SIGNED UP TO SEE IF HE WAS A MATCH FOR HER. TURNS OUT HE WAS NOT. BUT HE ALSO WANTED TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE. JUST KNOWING ABOUT THE NEED FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO NEEDED KIDNEYS OUT THERE. FOLKS LIKE THERESA CHAMPLIN WHO SAY ABOUT TIM, THE MAN THAT SAVED MY LIFE. I THINK IT’S ALWAYS REALLY TOUCHING TO SEE PEOPLE MEET THEIR ANONYMOUS DONORS AND RECIPIENTS. THE DOCTOR SAYS, MAYBE THE COOLEST THING ABOUT THIS STORY IS THAT BOTH DONORS ORIGINALLY SIGNED UP TO HELP FRIENDS, AND WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THEY WEREN’T MATCHES TO HELP THEIR FRIENDS, THEY DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS AND HELP SOMEONE ELSE. IT DOES HAPPEN EVERY NOW AND THEN, AND WE’RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND DECIDE TO STICK WITH US. THERE ARE NO WORDS BUT THE GRATITUDE IS JUST OVERWHELMING. IN KANSAS CITY, ALAN SHOPE KMBC NINE NEWS. ALL FOUR FAMILIES HOPE THEIR STORIES WILL RAISE AWARENE

Two kidney donors who initially signed up to help friends ended up saving the lives of complete strangers and met their recipients for the first time Thursday.Megan Hall donated a kidney to Cindy Delong last year. The two embraced in person after months of exchanging letters and messages.“I think it’s awesome,�� Hall said.“Going almost a whole year, not knowing who would give you such a wonderful gift,�� Delong said. “She sent me a beautiful letter back in December, and she's just an amazing person from what I could tell.”Delong said meeting Hall was emotional.“I’m so ready just to get to know her ... she’s family now,�� she said.Tim Vandall, a friend of Delong’s, was also tested as a potential match. Though he was not a fit for Delong, he continued with the donation process and ultimately saved the life of Teresa Champlin.“Just knowing about the need for all of the different people who needed kidneys out there,�� Vandall said.Champlin called him “the man that saved my life.”Dr. Alice Crane with the transplant team at Research Medical Center said moments like these are incredibly meaningful.“I think it’s always really touching to see people meet their anonymous donors and recipients for the first time,�� she said. “We’re very grateful for the people that make that happen and decide to stick with us.”“There are no words, but the gratitude is just overwhelming,�� Delong said.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Two kidney donors who initially signed up to help friends ended up saving the lives of complete strangers and met their recipients for the first time Thursday.

Megan Hall donated a kidney to Cindy Delong last year. The two embraced in person after months of exchanging letters and messages.

“I think it’s awesome,�� Hall said.

“Going almost a whole year, not knowing who would give you such a wonderful gift,�� Delong said. “She sent me a beautiful letter back in December, and she's just an amazing person from what I could tell.��

Delong said meeting Hall was emotional.

“I’m so ready just to get to know her ... she’s family now,�� she said.

Tim Vandall, a friend of Delong’s, was also tested as a potential match. Though he was not a fit for Delong, he continued with the donation process and ultimately saved the life of Teresa Champlin.

“Just knowing about the need for all of the different people who needed kidneys out there,�� Vandall said.

Champlin called him “the man that saved my life.��

Dr. Alice Crane with the transplant team at Research Medical Center said moments like these are incredibly meaningful.

“I think it’s always really touching to see people meet their anonymous donors and recipients for the first time,�� she said. “We’re very grateful for the people that make that happen and decide to stick with us.��

“There are no words, but the gratitude is just overwhelming,�� Delong said.

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Kidney donors, recipients meet for the first time in Missouri

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