BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – One Vermonter’s call for a kidney was answered by an unlikely donor.
In January, we told you about Brandi Jagemann – a cancer survivor in need of a kidney.
As many patients know, the wait for an organ can be long and even deadly.
But for Jagemann, good news came early.
When she learned that her kidney was failing last year, she knew she couldn’t wait around for a donor to come to her – but advertising for a kidney felt strange.
“It was actually my son who put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Mom, it’s not weird if you get a kidney.’ And I was like, ‘You know what, buddy, you’re right,’” said Jagemann.
Through five hours of daily dialysis, Jagemann doubled down on the hunt for a donor.
She wrote messages on Facebook, taped posters around Montpelier, and even held up a sign at a Patriots game.
“It was amazing how many people were calling Dartmouth and emailing Dartmouth and going on and doing the surveys,” she said.
71-year-old Theresa Lever was one of those people.
She knew Jagemann from their shared work at Central Vermont Medical Center.
Lever had seen Jagemann’s messages for months, assuming someone would step up to the plate.
Then, while walking in downtown Montpelier this spring, she saw yet another poster asking for help and wondered if she could be the answer.
“I said, This is crazy. How is it that Brandi still needs a kidney? I think I’ll follow up on this and, you know, just explore it,” said Lever.
Sure enough, just as Jagemann neared a year on the waitlist, tests at Dartmouth Hitchcock confirmed Lever to be a match.
“I really was not expecting to be the person. It feels sort of like it was meant to be,” said Lever.
“Oh my gosh. I cried. I was overjoyed. It was it was amazing. It was amazing because I was starting to think it might not happen,” said Jagemann.
It’s a bright spot in a dark period for Jagemann, who’s survived leukemia and a heart and bone marrow transplant.
“I kind of try to have realistic expectations anyway. Now, everything that I’ve been through to kind of like expect the worst, and then when the best happens, it’s that much more amazing,” said Jagemann.
The two women will undergo surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock in November.
Jagemann is hesitantly excited, wary of potential infection or rejection. But it’s familiar territory for her as she raised two kids and took on a career despite years of sickness.
“I made it through all of that, and everybody is thriving, and so now just bring on this kidney and we’ll set some other goals after that,” said Jagemann.
Ever since the match, Lever says everyone has praised her for stepping up. But for her, it’s a no-brainer.
“Kidney donation isn’t uncommon. It’s been around for a really long time. And I thought, well, if I can do this for somebody, why not do it,” said Lever.
With so many others still waiting for a phone call, Jagemann encourages everyone to register as an organ donor.
You can do that online or at your local DMV.