LUMBERTON, Texas — After an emotional moment at the DaVita Dialysis Center in Beaumont, one Southeast Texan finally received his new kidney.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from a February 8, 2022 newscast.)
On Feb. 8, a Lumberton couple celebrated the end of one journey and the beginning of another.
The person who gave him this gift is no stranger. It's his loving wife.
She’s going the extra mile to save her husband’s life. Tiffany Post donated her kidney to her husband Donald Post. But she had to overcome a major obstacle in order to make this happen.
“It was a no-brainer, I had to do it,” said Tiffany Post.
MORE | Register to become an organ donor
His kidney problems started back in 2009 for Donald Post. In the spring of 2020, he received some bad news. He needed a kidney transplant.
Without a second thought, his wife got tested.
She ended up being a perfect match. But Tiffany Post was overweight, and that extra weight was preventing her from being a viable candidate. So, she started her weight loss journey.
“The weight loss journey along with it was probably the hardest part because, in the middle of it, I was at the goal weight they told me to get to. And the week before they had changed their protocol, and had to lose additional weight,” said Tiffany Post.
It wasn't easy, but Tiffany Post did it. Family, friends, and co-workers came together Tuesday to celebrate.
“Two of the hardest working people I have ever met both very wonderful people and parents. I look up to them in a lot of ways,” said friend and coworker Amber Johnson.
Donald Post is an EMT, and his first responder family showed up outside of DaVita Dialysis Tuesday, for what was expected to be his last appointment.
“It's been a two-year journey,” said Donald Post. “I don't know how many times we were told we were good then they stopped it. It's been a rough road, but we are here for the reward.”
The couple was moved by all those who showed up to cheer them on.
“This is awesome, it's overwhelming, definitely overwhelming. I wasn't expecting this,” said Donald Post.
After the surgery, Tiffany Post took to Facebook to update family and friends that it was a success saying, "WE DID IT. This cooler went to the O.R. with me, the kidney took a short ride from my O.R. #3 Don’s O.R. #1."
In the Facebook post, she also expressed gratitude to those who followed along their journey saying, "The surgeon told us that the kidney never stopped working and Don immediately started making LOTS of urine. Don’s post transplant labs are looking good, his creatinine is already down. Thank you Thank you Thank you to all of our friends, family, and coworkers who have been cheering us on."
How you can become an organ donor
If you would like to be come an organ donor you can register online by visiting Organ.org/Register and filling out a form.
While registering is not required in Texas when you make the decision now and let your family know it can remove a huge burden from them should anything happen to you.
Anyone of any age may register to be a donor, although, for minors, parents or guardians will make the final decision until the donor turns 18.
One donor can make a huge impact by saving up to eight lives via organ donation and healing up to 75 more people through tissue and corneal donation according to the Southwest Transplant Alliance’s website.
Organ donation most often happens after a sudden and unexpected death so signing yourself up and making your wishes clear to your family ahead of that time can take huge burden off your family.
The donor registration process does not include living organ donation, living bone marrow, blood or whole-body donation. Find out more about those programs here.