Delayne Ivanowski, a 25-year-old nurse at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, recently kept a secret from her dad for nine months that ultimately saved his life.
Two years ago, John Ivanowski, 60, was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, a type of kidney disease that can lead to kidney failure. This led him to be on dialysis for four to five hours, four days a week. Delayne Ivanowski, who saw this quality of life as unacceptable for her dad, made the decision to try to donate her kidney to him, despite his opposition.
Delayne Ivanowski went through the months-long process of getting approved to be her dad’s kidney donor in secret. This included dozens of phone calls with social workers, doctors, and nurses, as well as undergoing blood work and countless medical tests, often at the same clinic as her dad, all without him knowing.
Without Delayne Ivanowski’s intervention to donate her own kidney, John Ivanowski could have remained on the transplant waiting list for several years, according to his doctor, Dr. Jason Wellen.
Finally, on the day of the transplant, February 16th, the team at Washington University & Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center took special precautions to make sure John Ivanowski would not see his daughter. After a successful transplant surgery, during which the father and daughter were in side-by-side operating rooms, Delayne Ivanowski and her dad recovered in rooms just steps away from each other on the same floor.
The day after the surgery, John Ivanowski learned his anonymous donor was his daughter when she walked into his room wearing a hospital gown. He said he was in shock, but that the shock and anger have since subsided.
Delayne Ivanowski, who should have no lasting side effects or complications from the transplant, said she hopes her family’s story helps raise awareness of the need for organ donation. Over 104,000 people are currently on the waiting list in the United States for a lifesaving organ transplant, according to UNOS.
John Ivanowski said he would not change anything about the way his daughter helped him, saying, “I feel so much better.” Delayne Ivanowski added, “It hurts, but all the pain is worth it in the end, I think.”
@delayne_i watch my dad find out that I was his anonymous kidney donor after keeping it a secret for 8 months ???? grab a tissue! ##fyp##kidneydonor ♬ original sound – Delayne
