Dale Huffman: Kidney a Gift of Love, Life

By Dale Huffman
Dayton Daily News

"Don't take your organs to heaven. Heaven knows we need them here."

Cori Walker-Burrows says she heard that phrase a long time ago, and it always stayed with her.

"It actually helped fortify my decision to donate a kidney to Linda."

Linda Walker, 55, of Centerville is her stepmother, who says she begins 2006 with "eternal love and appreciation for the gift of life" that Cori, 30, gave her.

Linda explained that she was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease when she was in her 20s. "It didn't become life-threatening until I was in my late 40s," she said. "I was really scared because the disease took the life of my mother in 1974 when she was 47."

She said she was told that there was no cure and that the treatments would be dialysis or a transplant.

Then in 1996, Linda said her situation had deteriorated so much that she was told a transplant would be necessary to save her life.

"Several family members tested, and my brother Stephen (Powell, 47) matched. I had the surgery at Miami Valley Hospital and it was successful and Stephen and I both were OK," Linda said. "Then in 2004 came the news there was more trouble and doctors said my kidney was failing."

A year ago, on New Year's Day in 2005, Linda said she went to the hospital and learned her kidney was shutting down.

She began dialysis treatments three days a week in the mornings, but continued to work part time at her job at NCR in the afternoons.

"I was determined to live life as normal as possible," she said. "But all the time I was praying that I might find someone who was compatible who would be willing to donate a kidney to me."

Linda's husband, Fred Walker, who is Cori Walker-Burrows' father, said he and Cori's mother, Beverly, were divorced in 1996.

Cori said, "It was a hard thing for me to handle when my parents divorced, but it was even more difficult when my real mother was diagnosed with leukemia in 1999. I watched my mother get sicker and sicker, and then she died in May of 2000."

In the meantime, Cori said, she was getting closer to her stepmother.

"After my mother died and I knew that Linda was so sick, I just refused to watch her fight so hard and suffer, without a kidney," Cori said. "I didn't want to lose another mother. So I tested, and I matched."

On Oct. 15, Linda received a new kidney from Cori during operations at the University of Cincinnati Hospital.

"Both my loving wife and my wonderful daughter are doing well, and are living normal lives," Fred said.

"This is a wonderful way for our family to begin the new year. I feel proud to have two heroic women in my life."

Cori said she knew she had to donate the kidney.

"It was what I needed to do. No second thoughts. No turning back. This was meant to be."

She said, "Since our surgery, Linda and I have become even closer. I am still scared that the kidney may be rejected or that something may happen. But as long as she is not going through the pain of dialysis three times a week, and the kidney is working, I am happy.

"I had to lose 50 pounds before they could take my kidney, and both physically and emotionally it has been hard to handle.

"But I did what I was meant to do," Cori added.

"You know, the Lord has a plan for all of us, and this was just part of His plan for my family."