Photo by JOHN BURGESS - The Press Democrat
Update/Photos Friday, July 11, 2014, 7:19PM: Woman returns favor after new pancreas saves son, SFGATE.com, Victoria Colliver
NEW Video: ABC News Channel 7 (Thursday, July 10, 2014 by Lyanne Melendez): ORGAN TRANSPLANT COMES FULL CIRCLE FOR FAMILIES
On December 26, 2013 the Argus Courier covered the story Families Bonded Through Organ Donation. As a follow-up to that story, the SFGate reports today in a story New pancreas saved her son; now she’s returning the favor. Today #Petaluma’s Janice MacKinnon will be donating here kidney to the father who donated his deceased son’s organs that helped to save the life of Janice’s son Jake.
If you missed this story, over 10 years ago after the death of their son Kalem, the Millard family donated his organs. The recipient would be Petaluman Jake MacKinnon, who then was 19 and suffering from diabetes, received Kalem’s pancreas.
In a strange twist of fate, the MacKinnon’s years later wanted to thank the Millards. The recipients of an organ donor can send a letter that protects both parties privacy. In it the MacKinnons requested their contact information. The Millards responded with their contact information.
Since then the MacKinnon’s and the Millards have become close friends. Jake is now 29 and engaged to be married. However Bill Millard, Kalem’s father, was suffering from kidney disease and needed a kidney donor. It turns out that Janice MacKinnon, Jake’s mother, was a perfect match. Today Janice will give her kidney to Bill in this incredible story.
I live in Petaluma. My wife donated her kidney to me 7 yrs ago. I’m now a Wee Bit Irish! Since the transplant I now suffer from man- no- pause and my man boobs have got a lot bigger! Ha Ha
I have Polysystic Kidney Diease. This Diease killed my grandfather my dad and all my uncles. I have a bunch of cousins who have. A lot of there kids have it. My wife and I decided not to have children because there was a 50/50 chance of passing on the dam Diease . I had to go on dialysis for 1 1/2 yrs here in Petaluma before my awesome wife gave me her kidney. I met my wife on a blind date I wasn’t blind. One week after our 17th anniversary she gave me the gift of life.
That’s an incredible story Mark. Thanks for sharing.