Everyday,
females all around the world give birth to children. As mothers, females care,
feed and raise their child the best they can. Children grow and inherit everything
their mothers taught them.As an adult, you always wish there was something you could do to repay a small percentage back to your mother for all of her hard work. One Palo Alto student has found a way.
“When we found out the news that I was accepted as a donor, it was a feeling I cannot describe,” said Laura Hernandez, a sophomore Psychology major, whose mother needs a kidney. “My mother and I are very close, and with all the love and care she’s given me, this is nowhere near what I owe her.”
Hernandez rushed to the thought of donating one of her kidneys to her mother, Veronica Luna.
“The whole thing was initially my idea and, at first, my mom was totally against it, but then her kidney specialist told her that things were getting worse and that she should think about my offer,” said Hernandez.
Luna is in need of a kidney transplant as a result of her diabetic condition. Transplantation is a treatment of choice for many patients with renal failure. There are two ways a patient can receive a kidney transplant: either from a person who has died from an accident or from a live donor who matches the patient’s kidney.
“After initial tests, I found out we matched and still was not afraid,” said Hernandez. “I never gave it a second thought, and I knew this is what I want to do.”
During Spring Break, Hernandez scheduled a two-day hospital stay for further tests. Doctors diagnosed Hernandez with a pre-diabetic condition known as polysistic ovarian disease and found cysts on her ovaries.
“That and the fact that I had a high reading during my glucose tolerance test made me feel pretty confident that they would rule me out as a donor,” said Hernandez.
Two weeks later, Hernandez received a phone call from her mother telling her the good news.
“For my mother to call me at work, I knew it had to be important,” said Hernandez. “She told me, Laura, you can donate your kidney after all!”
Luna was hesitant to allow her daughter to donate under the conditions involved, but she left the decision up to her. Hernandez happily accepted, and the kidney transplant surgery is scheduled for late May.
“I feel truly blessed that I get to give my mother the gift of life. Not everyone gets an opportunity like this,” said Hernandez. “I’m so ready to do this!”