Husband Gives Wife Special 20th Anniversary Gift

Etiquette authorities suggest china as the appropriate 20th anniversary gift, but a Stafford County, Virginia man has opted for something much more special. On May 14, 2003, Mike Williams gave the gift of life by donating one of his kidneys to his wife Laurie.

Laurie was diagnosed with lSystemic Lupus over 18 years ago, and in December of 2001, the Williams' received grave news that Laurie's kidneys would inevitably fail within the next year or so. This meant she faced 4 hour, thrice weekly dialysis treatments or kidney transplant. Currently, there are over 80,000 people on the UNOS kidney transplant waiting list, and with too few people agreeing to organ donorship, the average wait for a cadaver kidney is 5-7 years. In the U.S., about 25,000 kidney transplants are performed annually. Many on the list will die waiting. This was unacceptable to Mike, a Herndon Police sergeant, so without hesitation, he volunteered
to be the first tested as a possible live donor.

Remarkably, he was a match for his wife. The 4 hour dual surgeries were performed by renowed surgeons Dr. Johann Jonsson, M.D. and James Piper, M.D. at INOVA Fairfax Hospital last week, and the couple are already home recovering nicely.

Theirs is a newsworthy and inspirational story that speaks not only for the power of love and committment, but also sheds much needed light on living organ donation.

CONTACT:
Mike and Laurie Williams
703-380-8233
703-380-8234
P.O. Box 324
Garrrisonville, VA 22463