Summary
A man named Richard Tan, who has a genetic kidney disease, received a life-saving kidney transplant from a coworker he had never met. Carrie Illg, a nurse practitioner, decided to donate her kidney to Tan after a donor drive at their workplace. Before the transplant could occur, Tan needed additional heart surgery, but Illg waited until Tan was ready.
Key Facts
- Richard Tan has a genetic condition called polycystic kidney disease.
- Tan previously received a kidney transplant in 2009, which eventually began to fail.
- He needed another transplant and was undergoing dialysis while working full-time.
- In 2024, a donor awareness drive at his workplace led to Carrie Illg offering her kidney.
- Illg successfully passed all medical tests to become Tan’s donor.
- Tan had to undergo a quadruple bypass before receiving the kidney transplant.
- Illg was able to donate her kidney in January 2025.
- The National Kidney Foundation states most living donors recover fully within four to six weeks.
