A Kentucky father of two who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer has selflessly donated his vital organ after a very kind stranger on social media saw that he was in desperate need of a kidney. I was given a chance at a new life.
When Chase Cooper learned last year that he had renal cell cancer and was told by doctors that he needed to get his name on the list for a kidney transplant, the diagnosis seemed like a death sentence. Ta.
“Before he started this program, we were told that it typically takes two to five years for a person to receive an organ,” said Kyla Cooper, Chase’s wife. he told WKYT.
“In his case, he didn’t have that much time after all.”
Kayla Cooper decided to do her part to find an organ donor to save her husband’s life, so she shared a post on Facebook about finding an organ donor.
“I posted it and it got shared over and over again,” she explained.
Among those who received the post was Hannah Durbin, who had never met the Cooper family.
Durbin had already begun the process of finding out if she was a good fit before contacting her family.
When she found out she was a good match, she shared the good news with her family.
“She was the real deal. She was a match,” Chase Cooper said.
“It’s more like the stars are aligned. The good Lord has protected us,” Kyla said.
But it was a long and difficult road before Durbin gave Chase Cooper his life-saving gift.
The original transplant date was set for Dec. 6, but the family learned just days ago that Durbin and Chase Cooper were no longer compatible “due to newly developed antibodies in Chase’s body.” , Kyla Cooper shared in an update. Facebook.
“We were all absolutely shocked when Hannah and Chase were told they were no longer fit. We were just days away from such a life-changing surgery, and the rug was just pulled from under them, and we were speechless. No,” she wrote in the post.
“But in a moment of sadness and confusion, Hannah immediately said, ‘I’ll do whatever I can to help.'” The good Lord put this on my heart for a reason. I know that.”
Grateful for Durbin’s offer, the family decided they had no choice but to wait, hoping another donor would come along or Chase Cooper’s name would be added to the registry.
Fortunately for the Cooper family, that wasn’t the case.
The family received word on January 31 that Durbin was once again a direct living donor to Chase Cooper.
Finally, less than a month later, Chase Cooper and Durbin underwent successful transplant surgery at the University of Kentucky.
Melinda Fox, a transplant administrator at UK Healthcare, told WKYT: “It’s amazing to see the sickest of people become healthy again and able to just enjoy life with their loved ones. It’s a process.”
“And, you know, you can make that impact on someone just by signing up to the registry as a donor.”
After the surgery, the stranger who until a few months ago posted on Facebook has become like family to the Coopers.
“She’s like family now. She’s not a stranger,” Chase Cooper told the outlet.
“Our gratitude to her is immeasurable,” Kayla said. “There are not enough words in the English dictionary that I know to describe exactly how grateful I am for her selfless sacrifice.”
In 2024, there will be approximately 90,000 people on the U.S. kidney transplant list. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Since the beginning of this year, 27,332 people have received successful kidney transplants.
April is National Donor Life Month, which is dedicated to finding Americans to register as organ donors.
Anyone interested in organ donation is encouraged to register. National Donation Life Registry.
