Thursday, February 07, 2008

Organ recipient says a tearful thanks

From the The Wisconson State-Journal:
When Kevin Folden died at age 30 as a result of a construction accident, the lives of his wife and daughter were changed forever.

Because his wife, Nicole, chose to donate Kevin 's organ 's after his death, the lives of even more people were changed, as well.

One of those people is Jay Deppe. Deppe and his wife, Bev, live in Johnson Creek. Deppe, 40, received Kevin 's pancreas in July 2003 to treat the diabetes that had left him insulin-dependent since he was 11. The surgery was performed by Dr. Jon Odorico at UW Hospital.

On Tuesday, four years after Kevin 's death, the Deppes and the Foldens met for the first time at UW Hospital 's Organ Procurement Organization.

Deppe kept tissues close at hand as he waited for the Foldens to arrive. He clasped hands with his wife and, in shaking breaths, laughed at his own nervousness.

Folden, who lives in North Dakota, is on a cross-country journey with her daughter, Skyla, 5, and boyfriend, Carey Gieser, to meet some of the people who received Kevin 's organs. They were in Minnesota on Monday, and after spending a few days with the Deppes, they will head to Texas. Read the full story.

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