As a phlebotomist working in her native Peru, Soledad could draw her own blood for routine lab tests. That’s how she first realized her creatinine level was rising — an indicator of kidney issues. A follow-up visit to her doctor confirmed she had advanced kidney disease and would eventually need a transplant.
Because she had extended family living in Pennsylvania, Soledad moved to the United States in 2019 so she’d have access to better care, support, and a possible living donor transplant. A year later, she and her family met with the UPMC Harrisburg Transplant Services team to begin the process. “My sister, Natalie, wanted to be a donor. But during testing, they discovered she was born with only one kidney,” says Soledad.
Soledad was put on the transplant list as her condition slowly deteriorated. In March 2021, she began in-home dialysis. Since she worked an early shift at a local distribution center, she started dialysis by 7 p.m. so she’d have time to complete the eight-hour cycle. “I felt exhausted all the time. I had no swelling, but I did have pain in my legs,” she says.
Soledad’s father, Manuel, asked to be evaluated as a potential donor. “She was getting worse and worse,” says Manuel. “I love my daughter, and I wanted to see her healthy. I knew the sooner she got a kidney, the better the outcome would be.”
Because of their 20-year age difference, Manuel was approved as part of a paired exchange. On May 24, 2022, father and daughter under-went surgery at UPMC Harrisburg. Manuel’s kidney went to a stranger around his age while Soledad received a kidney from someone closer to her age. “You saved two lives,” a thankful Soledad later told him.
“I’m her father. I felt it was something I had to do,” says Manuel, who says he’ll always be thankful for the care and support of his family and the doctors and nurses at UPMC Harrisburg. “My reward is seeing my daughter healthy again.”
“When he donated his kidney, he gave me a second chance at life,” says Soledad. Since her transplant, her life has “done a complete 180,” she says. “I’m no longer tired. I can go to sleep when I want, and I’m able to enjoy going out and traveling.”
Soledad says she’s also grateful to the transplant team, especially the nurse who served as translator throughout the process. “She was able to explain things to me and communicate for me. That made everything so much easier,” she says.
Soledad and Manuel’s treatment and results may not be representative of other cases.
