Answering the Call to Donate
In 2016, Brother Adam Husted, P.M., Osceola Lodge No. 515, Osceola Mills, and his wife, Heather, were sitting in church when their pastor mentioned an older couple in the congregation whose son, John, was in desperate need of a kidney.
“Heather and I knew them [the couple] and had always looked up to them,” Adam said. “Seeing them in a time of need struck Heather. She just looked over at me in that moment and said she felt a ‘calling’ telling her to help them. I was inclined to back her 110%. I lost my grandmother to kidney failure [without a transplant], and I know how terrible it is on the body.”
Heather, a hospice nurse, began the extensive testing process to become a living donor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, only to learn that she wasn’t a match for John. Fortunately, the hospital offers a “paired exchange” program, an option for kidney transplant candidates who have a willing, but incompatible donor. Doctors asked Heather if she would be willing to donate to a stranger, which in turn would give her original recipient a better chance at getting a kidney.
“We talked about it and decided she should do it,” Adam said. “Fast forward through all the testing to February 2018, nearly two years later, and they not only found her a match, but her original recipient, John, found a match, too.”
On March 1, 2018, Heather donated her kidney, and a few hours later in the same hospital, John received his. A few months later, Adam and Heather learned that three other people received a kidney because of her donation. Heather got the ball rolling when she initiated the original donation and became a match for a recipient in the paired exchange program. (Her original recipient, John, was not part of the paired exchange program.)
“These people were waiting for a match, and when they found me, the process began,” Heather said. “The person who I matched with also had a person in the program willing to donate. Everyone who needs a kidney in the program needs to have someone willing to donate as well.”
The entire organ donation experience inspired Adam to become a Center for Organ Recovery and Education Ambassador for the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program.
“With my wife’s background and collectively going through the whole experience, it just made sense to represent the program,” he said. “I advocate as much as I possibly can. I wish there was even more that I could do.”
Adam and Heather want to spread the word about paired exchange because a lot of people are unaware it’s an option.
“If you’re not a match for someone, but you’re healthy, you can still donate,” Heather said. “So many people can’t donate for a variety of reasons. I had around 17 blood tests and scans, as well as a mental health evaluation. When they finally give you the green light, you don’t want to waste it [the opportunity to help].”
It was difficult for Adam to watch his wife go through the donation process. His grandmother was on dialysis for many years, and he took care of her from the age of 16, driving her to appointments in between school hours.
“He knew all about the process because of what his grandmother went through, but he never missed a beat,” Heather said. “He was there for me the whole time.”
While recovery was initially difficult, today Heather is doing well, and John is thriving with his new kidney. Heather doesn’t know who ultimately received her kidney, but she hopes he or she is doing well.
“I donated for John, and I have no regrets,” she said. “You forget about any pain when you know the person you donated for is thriving.”
Adam is proud of his wife and wants to represent the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor program to the best of his abilities. John, the organ recipient, is very grateful for the couple’s generosity as well, and still texts and calls Heather to thank her.
“I couldn’t fight it that day in the church,” Heather said. “The decision was made for me … I felt this peace come over me when I was wheeled into the operating room.”
adam husted photo
Brother Adam Husted and his wife, Heather
Heather has since gotten a tattoo on her right inner forearm to reflect her journey. It lists the date of her donation with an image of the Tree of Life. The trunk of the tree is the “DNA,” and inside the tree is a small kidney that stands out. Heather uses her tattoo as a “talking point” to educate others about the donation process.
“Paired exchange definitely needs more awareness,” she said. “Most people know nothing about it. It’s a real possibility for people waiting for an organ.”
Adam, a Mason since 2010, said he’s thankful for his brothers and the outpouring of support he received from them. He also serves as the Masonic Education Chairman for District 21.
For more information on the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program, visit MasonicBloodandOrganDonors.org.
Find your membership card easily! Look for the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program button on the homepage of the Grand View portal, which leads directly to your profile and allows you to print out a temporary membership card.
