Jessica Kahigian, a 15‑year‑old from New Hampshire’s Seacoast region, faced kidney failure as a teenager and received her first transplant at age 16. The new kidney served her for 15 years until a COVID‑19 infection caused severe damage, returning her to the transplant waiting list.
Family rally and donor generosity
Jessica’s parents, Diane and her husband, each offered to donate a kidney, but neither was a match. With only about 2% of potential donors being a perfect match, the family turned to the broader community. After three years of thrice‑weekly dialysis, a family friend stepped forward in July, offering a kidney that, while not a perfect match, was sufficient to move Jessica higher on the national list.
“That gave me the opportunity to get higher on the list,” Jessica said, expressing gratitude for the donor’s self‑less act.
Medical perspective
Dr. Michael Daily, chief of transplant at Dartmouth‑Hitchcock Medical Center, noted that roughly 100,000 people nationwide await a transplant, with about 90,000 seeking a kidney. “The need is extraordinary,” he said. Each year more than 27,000 kidney transplants occur across the country, yet many patients wait years for a suitable organ.
Dartmouth‑Hitchcock, recognized for three consecutive years as a top provider of kidney transplant outcomes, maintains a rigorous donor screening process. “We turn down probably eight or nine out of ten people who are interested in donating a kidney,” Dr. Daily explained, emphasizing the importance of donor health and compatibility.
Impact on the Kahigian family
Jessica’s mother, Diane, described the experience as a miracle, likening it to winning the lottery. The family now honors the donor’s sacrifice and the lives of those who have given their organs, saying, “We honor the fact that this family made a decision that saved her life.”
Since the July surgery, Jessica reports feeling “really good” and enjoys a renewed outlook on life. She looks forward to future plans, including a family vacation once she receives medical clearance.
Broader context
Kidneys remain the most commonly transplanted organ in the United States, with the majority coming from deceased donors who chose organ donation before death. Living donors, like Jessica’s family friend, play a vital role in expanding the donor pool and reducing wait times.
Health officials continue to urge the public to consider organ donation, emphasizing that each additional donor can save multiple lives. As Jessica’s story illustrates, timely donor generosity can transform a family’s future and offer hope to countless others awaiting transplants.
Original reporting: WMUR (Hearst) – local news — read the source article.
