DANVILLE — It’s an easy answer when Danville resident Pat O’Shaughnessy thinks about why he wanted to be a kidney donor and help family friends.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my life and career and experiences,” Pat said. “Everyone, including Perry, should have that opportunity.”
Pat has been blessed and fortunate to be married to Elaine, have three great children, four adorable grandchildren, have a great career, be involved in impactful local organizations and live a wonderful life in his 64 years.
He wants that to hold true for his once-intended donor recipient, Perry Hess, and all Perry’s life dreams.
What happened along the way of testing to be an organ donor for Perry also is amazing and ended up saving Pat’s life.
It will be an especially emotional Thanksgiving for the families this week in Florida.
Pat remains recuperating in Fort Pierce, Florida, not from being a kidney donor, but from having a cancerous tumor removed from his kidney that was found during testing.
Perry Hess is local Judge Mark and Jana Goodwin’s daughter Katie’s significant other. Katie and Perry live in Jacksonville, Florida, after having met in Charlotte, N.C.
They must live within three hours of the Mayo Clinic in case he receives a phone call that a kidney transplant is available.
Unfortunately, Perry is back at square one again to find a donor. Perry was born with only one kidney and currently requires dialysis.
Pat said his family has been close to the Goodwin family since they moved to Danville 30 years ago, with him knowing Katie since she was born and each family’s children also becoming good friends.
It was about two to two and a half month ago, Pat said, when he asked Jana how Perry was doing. Perry was still on dialysis, almost a year now, and still needs a kidney.
Pat also asked what blood type Perry was, and Jana stated Type O.
That’s when Pat knew he was going to try to help Perry.
“Standing across (from Jana), my heart knew what I was going to do,” Pat said.
His heart then had to convince his brain, and his wife and kids.
Pat filled out a donor questionnaire for the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and heard back from a wonderful nurse, Turin Haas.
Pat said he thought they wouldn’t take an old man like him.
The nurse explained the testing and full process. Pat had to extensively go through his family medical history which is long with eight brothers and sisters.
Over a couple weeks, Pat was passed on to more medical personnel and had multiple video conferences with them. He flew down to Jacksonville in mid-October. He could have gone somewhere closer, such as to Peoria or Chicago, but would have been subject to their criteria for donation, he said.
“I knew Perry was at Jacksonville. I went there,” Pat said.
Pat went through intense testing, and had one more to go.
Pat then was told he wasn’t going to be donating a kidney to Perry or anyone because his kidney had a cancerous tumor on it.
Pat said he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The news blew everyone over.
Pat said he was “extremely disappointed. I’d failed to get Perry a kidney he so desperately needs.”
Pat also was worried about the cancerous tumor.
Tests had been going good to be a donor. Pat thought he was in great shape, walking and losing 45 pounds.
He thought, “I got this,” about the tumor.
He was told it was his lucky day, but he didn’t feel like it, the day he was told about the tumor because kidney cancer isn’t normally caught early. Pat could have gone several more years and it could have spread without him knowing it and then it could have been too late.
He was told his generosity probably saved his life.
Pat has since had the tumor removed, saving 2/3 of his left kidney.
Pat also asked about donating his other kidney, but was told he couldn’t.
“Mayo was absolutely fantastic, he said, praising surgeon Dr. David Thiel. “I’m doing great.”
He also thanks the Festival of Trees steering committee for taking care of things here when he was gone. They produced another wonderful festival, he said.
Pat encourages anyone to look into being an organ donor.
“It’s something people should think about,” he said.
In his family, a sister-in-law gave a kidney to her daughter, and they are living healthy lives.
“You should share your spare,” he said.
Pat said people also can sign up to donate kidneys and organs when they’re not here anymore.
A lot to people are waiting for kidneys, lungs and other organs, he said.
More information can be found on mayoclinic.org.
“We want to keep spreading that word,” Pat said.
Perry said being born with one kidney, he knew he’d go on dialysis. Now it’s been a little over a year.
“I’ve had chronic kidney disease my whole life,” he said.
Perry said with Pat, this is the closest he’s gotten to a possible donor. Initially, Perry had no idea Pat was going through the process.
“It was a pretty incredible surprise,” Perry said. Pat was already back in Danville after initial testing when he told him.
Perry said catching the tumor on Pat’s kidney also is an amazing story and theme.
“Pat’s kindness and selflessness to help me, saved himself,” Perry said. “That’s the kind of person he is.”
Perry’s two younger brothers’ blood types don’t match. One brother also is willing to be part of a paired kidney exchange, pledging a kidney in exchange for another person to give Perry their kidney.
Perry is still active on the donor list.
He’d hoped the match with Pat went through, but it at least feels like traction, momentum, Perry said.
Things are aligning, and he’s hopeful for the future.
The families will be together for Thanksgiving.
“We’re going to have a good celebration,” Pat said.