From the time one of our patients on the waitlist gets an offer for a donated kidney, coordinators like me help facilitate the process of getting that kidney to the patient.

I was the transplant coordinator on call the week Charley received her second kidney transplant, two days before Christmas last year. I’ve followed her closely from the beginning to help minimize her number of trips to the hospital, discuss her medication and lab monitoring plans and oversee just about everything that happens to her.

When Charley would come to clinic visits, we’d talk about everything from athletic wear and new hairstyles to diet and exercise. Physical activity is really important after transplant, so I showed her how to adjust her Apple watch to make sure she was hitting her walking goals.

As much as I love to see Charley in person, I help bring the magic by making sure she can spend as much time as possible at home, enjoying life after transplant.