Canadian Mennonite
Volume 11, No. 02
January 22, 2007
Kidney swap makes medical history
Elmira, Ont.
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For many years, Florence Jantzi watched her daughter Kristine suffer the debilitating effects of kidney failure. On Nov. 14, she was finally able to share a healthy kidney through a historic set of surgeries at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.
Kristine was only a teenager when her kidneys failed completely and she began dialysis. Florence and her husband Darrell, who was pastor at Pioneer Park Christian Fellowship in Kitchener, Ont., at the time, were ready and willing to donate a kidney, but Kristine was adopted and neither of her adoptive parents was a match.
In 1986, Kristine underwent a successful kidney transplant and was able to resume a normal life. Florence and Darrell were delighted to see her free of constant ill health. She continued her studies and married Ted Shapiro, but after 10 years she suffered kidney failure again.
Recent years have been difficult. Kristine’s health declined and she needed more care, but she lived in Maine, far from her parents’ home in Elmira. When Florence retired after serving for 20 years as administrative secretary at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, she and Darrell could spend more time with Kristine, providing some respite for their son-in-law.
Although Kristine had been on a transplant list for more than a decade, it seemed hopeless. Several people from her extended family were tested, but no one was a match. Then Kristine became aware of a new program at Johns Hopkins University, in which serial kidney transplants took place in 2001. Under this program, Florence would donate her kidney to someone else if another donor matched Kristine.
It took a few trips to Baltimore for a health assessment and tests, but by the summer of 2006 Florence began to hope that she could relieve her daughter’s suffering. Even when a surgery date was set, it was not certain that Kristine’s health would allow it to go forward. She needed surgery to deal with a blood clot a few days before the transplant surgery.
Florence and Darrell asked their congregation, Floradale (Ont.) Mennonite, to pray for them before they travelled to Baltimore, especially that everyone involved would remain in good health because illness on the part of any of the donors or recipients would delay the surgery.
“We didn’t have any idea until we got there that there would be five transplants,” said Florence. “The media attention was extra and not anticipated.” News of the transplants was widely broadcast because it was a first-ever five-way swap of kidneys. The process began with an altruistic donor who matched Kristine, so Florence’s kidney went to another recipient-donor pair. Four paired recipients received new kidneys as well as someone waiting on the regular donor list.
“All that media attention was exhausting,” said Florence, but she is recuperating well. They are very thankful that Kristine’s new kidney is functioning well. In order to allow their son-in-law to return to work, Florence and Darrell have remained in Baltimore, as Kristine needs to stay close to the hospital for the time-being.
The Jantzis have appreciated the support of Wilkins Avenue Mennonite Church in Baltimore, and especially of Lee and Genny Martin. “The church there has welcomed us overwhelmingly,” said Florence, who contacted the Martins through mutual friends. For the first few weeks, the Jantzis were able to housesit for someone from the church serving with Christian Peacemaker Teams.
The Jantzis also appreciate supportive family. At the end of November, three of Florence’s sisters, her mother and a niece made the trip from Elmira to Baltimore. Kristine hadn’t seen her relatives for 10 years and they had a great time together. Although it was exhausting, the visit was wonderful medicine.
The entire family is thankful for the Incompatible Kidney Transplant Program at Johns Hopkins University, which provided a new kidney and hope for a normal life for someone they love.