Look Who it Was Random video

Maine woman wants to thank her unknown kidney donor from Cincinnati

55 views · Published 12 November 2018 · 2:43 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

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CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A woman from Maine wants to find the person from Cincinnati who donated a kidney to help save her life.

The search for a kidney donor started with Stacey McCarthy’s husband, and his not so subtle jacket. "I can't think about it too hard, because it kind of blows your mind," said McCarthy.

A photo was posted on Facebook and it received more than 100 responses from people willing to be tested to give her their kidney. The photo was taken in Louisville at a horse racing event.

This wasn't even McCarthy's first time needing a transplant. It’s her third. Doctors told her it would be difficult to find a match, even with someone willing to donate.

Her donation came as part of a nine person kidney donation chain. "Nine people in the chain, 18 operating rooms, because for every medical center you had someone taking out and putting in a kidney," said McCarthy.

The donated kidney eventually made its way to McCarthy, who lives in Portland, Maine. She says it came from someone in Cincinnati but she doesn't know anything about the donor. Medical privacy laws prevent doctors and hospitals from releasing the information.

"I hope the person who donated it, sees this and understands, how grateful I am. It's a wonderful thing and I hope the person on their end did as successfully and I did," said McCarthy.

Through her experience with organ donation McCarthy is now advocating for others to be a living donor. "This is an option healthy people have available to them. How wonderful it must be for someone to think, I can save someone else's life," said McCarthy.

McCarthy has had her first check up after the transplant on October 30. Doctors say she’s doing well.

McCarthy says with a country so divided, it’s nice to know when it comes down to helping save a life, there are good people out there.

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