Colorado woman donates kidney to prom date 35 years after their big dance

When he was turned down during high school prom season, Shawn Moyer needed a backup date. Fortunately for him, Elena Hershey was willing to go out with him to the prom. Thirty-five years later, Shawn needed a kidney transplant but his wife already donated a kidney. He needed a backup and, once again, Elena Hershey was there for him.

Now living in Colorado, Hershey was coincidentally considering donating her kidney when she heard about Moyer’s need for one from mutual friends back in Pennsylvania where they first met. She then reached out to see if they would be a match. While they weren’t eligible to share organs, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s “paired exchange program” for organs allowed Moyer to be put ahead in line for a matched kidney transplant in exchange for Hershey’s donation. With that, Hershey went under the knife and donated her kidney.

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“I started driving a couple days later. It was no problem at all,” Hershey told ABC News 27. “A few weeks of having to rest and a few days of discomfort to extend someone’s life or save someone’s life? It really is kind of a no-brainer.”

Thanks to Hershey’s donation, Moyer was able to get a transplant much quicker than usual. It’s not uncommon for people needing to go through frequent dialysis for years before they are able to get a transplant with a matching kidney from a deceased donor.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), there are 90,000 Americans waiting for a kidney transplant, with eleven people dying each day waiting for one. And while the majority of healthy people can live long, normal lives with a single kidney it is still a big ask for most people to donate one while they are still alive. So Hershey’s donation is incredibly selfless, even though she doesn’t seem to think it is that big of a deal.

While a person might not physically gain anything from being a living kidney donor, it can provide some benefits. A study from John Hopkins University that interviewed 56 living kidney donors found increases in “personal growth, interpersonal relationships (particularly their relationship with the recipient), self-esteem, social engagement, and spiritual life.” Donors who were married or related to the recipients also experienced less stress and better finances, as they no longer had to worry about their loved one's health or provide care for their loved ones as patients after their kidney transplant. Along with that, most recipients of a kidney transplant were able to return to work to add to the overall income for the household.

If you are considering donating your kidney or another organ while you’re alive, look up a transplant center in your area or visit OrganDonor.gov for more information. If you wish to become a donor after you are deceased, register as a donor in your state, usually through your driver’s license renewal or other methods. A piece of yourself can provide peace of mind and a longer life for another. You can become a hero, even if you aren't their first choice for a prom date.