Gwen McNair-Reilly, a member of Family of Christ Church, where Senior Pastor Albert Anderson presides, is grateful for the gift of a kidney. She had been on a donor list for almost five years. During the pregnancy of her now ten-year-old son, she had toxemia, which is preclancia and causes high blood pressure, which later caused her kidneys to fail.

Brandy Kirkpatrick, who donated her kidney to Gwen, worked with Gwen’s son, Quadrey, who is a fourth-grade student at the school where she was working as a Teacher’s Assistant toward her Teaching License. When Brandy learned that Quadrey’s mother needed a kidney, she called Gwen one day during recess and offered to donate one of her kidneys.

Says Brandy, “The fact that we are of different races did not even enter into the equation. Our chemical makeup is the same, no matter what race we are. It is a matter of having the same blood-type and other factors.

“About ten years ago, a co-worker had given a kidney to her brother, so I knew something about the process. I didn’t have any hesitation about donating my kidney. I come from a large family and am the only one with a different blood type. So, I wouldn’t have been able to donate a kidney to anyone in my family, and since there are so many of them, they could take care of any such need that might arise.

“It was just that easy to make the decision.”

Gwen is very grateful, and says, “She was a perfect match for me. It was amazing, because they normally give kidneys to the same race, but she was A-Positive, we cross-matched, and everything lined up perfectly.

“My kidneys failed when my son was 5. When he turned 10, Brandy came into the picture. My son is very fond of her and he helps her in the classroom.
“I just thank God for my son because Brandy saw something in him, and it led to a blessing for me. I was really shocked when Brandy called me. Now, I have her kidney and even though I have to take 24 daily pills, which is expensive, I would rather do that than to be on dialysis.

“I encourage anyone who would like to be a donor to do that, because it can give life to someone else.”