INDIANAPOLIS — A high school classmate turned organ donor marks the 800th kidney transplant at Ascension St. Vincent.
Not only is it a significant milestone for the hospital, but one that brings a second chance of life for an Indianapolis man.
Adrian Butler and Tiffanie Stall attended Warren Central High School together.
The two graduated high school more than 20 years ago, Stall's brother was good friends with Butler.
The pair didn't stay in close contact post graduation, but kept up with each other on social media.
As life would have it, Butler was diagnosed with a kidney disease in his 20s and by 33 needed a transplant.
"We went through close family and friends for about through October and when we didn't get a match my wife posted a message on Facebook," Butler said.
Social media was the driving force to re-kindle the classmates friendship.
"It kind of just weighed on me for a couple days really heavy. It was just one of those things like I have to call," Stall said. "Like if it was my brother I would do anything in the world, so I called.
Stall called the organ donation team and signed up to be tested as a living donor for Butler.
Butler had no idea Stall was a match.
"I cried. I felt like at that point it was answered prayers. Because I kept asking myself am I crazy to even think to do this," Stall said.
Butler said he was surprised.
"I had no idea who it was going to be. I was surprised and happy and appreciative and humbled," he said.
Butler got the call on Christmas Eve.
He still gets emotional talking about it.
"I have small kids at home so it was a lot," Butler said. "For me that day was just kind of a relief because it's finally here. I have been waiting for years."
The date Stall chose as the transplant day ended up being Butler's birthday.
But, when the date came Stall tested positive for COVID-19, the surgery had to be pushed.
"I was happy I got to go home that day. It made me realize without a doubt that this is what I wanted to do," Stall said.
Pushing the surgery made their transplant the 800th kidney transplant at Ascension St. Vincent.
There is a huge need for organs.
Dr. Alex Cantafio is a transplant surgeon at Ascension.
He sees first hand there aren't enough organs for everybody who needs one.
More than 90,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney.
"We add someone to the list every 10 seconds. It's just such a huge need and we just don't have enough organs to go around," Dr. Cantafio said.
A way to combat the shortage, would be more people becoming living donors.
"Living donation is the linchpin that helps combat our disparity of availability of organs," Dr. Cantafio said.
To learn more about kidney donation at Ascension, click here.
