Friends find kidney donors after years of searching
By Daisy Kershaw
Click here for updates on this story
CINCINNATI (WLWT) — Two Cincinnati friends who met at a dialysis center have both found kidney donors after years of searching.
Through the peaks and valleys, their friendship has been a constant. Dave Harrison and Kenneth Johnson met four years ago at a dialysis center in Norwood, both in late-stage kidney failure and praying for more time. Neither knew then what they do now: their meeting was an answered prayer.
They’ve stayed by each other’s side through treatments and transplants. Kenny received his kidney on June 13, 2024, and Dave received his on Jan. 13 this year.
The day Dave got his kidney was a gift for Kenny too, one he’s waited for, spending hours outside Reds games, on street corners and in crowds, holding signs and holding hope.
“Kenny never left the hospital,” Harrison said.
“I just felt so blessed, you know we both got our kidneys,” Johnson said.
The pair are living proof that organ donation changes lives. Now, they are dedicated to helping others in their shoes find their match.
“At any given time, there’s 250,000 people that need a kidney. You only need one,” Harrison said.
The two are part of the nonprofit Off the List, a group that helps raise awareness about the importance of organ donation. Together, they are planning to start a campaign for someone in need of a donor to get them off the list.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.