Ohio Sheriff’s Kidney Donation Sparks Chain That Saves 5 Lives

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — 5 people received life-saving kidney transplants this month after a donation chain that began with Mercer County Sheriff Doug Timmerman.

Timmerman and recipient Joy Wagner were complete strangers before Wagner received the sheriff’s kidney. The transplant set off a series of donations that ultimately resulted in 5 successful kidney transplants.

“It’s the biggest gift I’ve ever gotten, and the best gift I’ve ever gotten,” Wagner said.

Wagner was placed on the transplant list earlier this summer after years of declining kidney function. She said routine bloodwork first showed problems more than a decade ago.

“Basically, for me it was just normal bloodwork through my regular doctor,” Wagner said. “We started seeing my kidney function go down probably in the last 15 years. We just steadily watched it go down.”

Her husband volunteered to donate a kidney but was not a match. That’s when Wagner became part of a paired donation program.

Timmerman’s decision to donate began much closer to home. He said he started researching kidney donation after his father developed kidney disease a few years ago.

“A couple of years ago, my dad came down with a kidney issue,” Timmerman said. “I was hoping to be able to do something like that for my dad. Unfortunately, his medical condition changed where he wasn’t able to accept the kidney.”

Even after learning he could not donate to his father, Timmerman decided to continue with the process.

“If this is what I can do, then hopefully it helps somebody else have a better life,” Timmerman said. “That didn’t make the decision that hard.”

Timmerman continued testing and preparation for nearly a year, encouraged in part by another living donor he met during an interview last December.

“She was very encouraging,” Timmerman said. “She told me how blessed she was to be able to do that for somebody else. I just continued down that path, and a year later, here we are.”

Timmerman’s kidney went to Wagner. Wagner’s husband then donated a kidney to another recipient, whose loved one donated to someone else. The chain continued until 5 people received new kidneys.

“It’s a lot of work to put the puzzle together and fit every piece where it’s supposed to go,” said Dr. Amer Rajab, transplant surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “The end result was marvelous.”

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, nearly 90,000 people in the United States are currently waiting for a kidney transplant.

“The need is enormous,” Dr. Rajab said. “We don’t have enough organs from deceased donors. Living donors really add to the number.”

Wagner and Timmerman first met after surgery when Timmerman was discharged from the hospital. Less than 2 weeks later, they met again in person.

“I always wanted it to go to a good person,” Timmerman said. “And obviously she’s that.”

Doctors say stories like this highlight the growing importance of living organ donation and the ripple effect one decision can have on multiple lives.