He Needed a Kidney. A Stranger’s Donation Changed His Life

When Orlando was 33, his father passed away from kidney disease. 

“This prompted me to get my own kidneys checked,” he said. “I was diagnosed with very early-stage kidney disease. I didn’t get much education and continued living my life as normal.” 

Unfortunately, high blood pressure was very much a part of Orlando’s everyday life. 

“I didn’t pay attention to my blood pressure and had a very stressful job,” he said. “Over the years, that damaged my kidneys.”

It caught up with Orlando when he was 60, over thirty years later, when his kidney function suddenly dropped to stage 4. Shortly later, in 2016, his kidneys failed.

“I started in-center dialysis in 2017,” Orlando said. “After about a year and a half, I was able to transition to home dialysis.”

Take our quiz to learn if home dialysis is right for you. 

In the background, Orlando's friends, family, and coworkers were either going through the living kidney donor evaluation or helping spread his story.

12 potential donors stepped forward. None were able to donate.

But that wasn’t the end of Orlando’s story. A stranger named Yomari Matos Torres heard Orlando talking about his kidney journey on the radio. 

“She didn’t know me but decided to try and donate,” he said. “She was so positive throughout the entire process.”

Yomari was a great donor candidate. There was just one problem: Their blood types weren't compatible.

That didn't mean Yomari was ready to give up, though. 

Learn more about making the decision to donate. 

The transplant team introduced Orlando and Yomari to paired kidney exchange donation.

In a paired exchange, two people with kidney failure have people willing to donate who aren’t their match. The two donors then ‘swap’ recipients who match, so both get a kidney. 

“I couldn't have been happier,” Yomari said in her own interview. “All I wanted to do was donate so Orlando would get a kidney.”

In December 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Orlando and Yomari traveled from their home in Puerto Rico to Dallas, Texas, for their transplant surgeries.

“On December 4, Yomari donated her kidney to a stranger. That stranger's donor, in turn, donated a kidney to me,” Orlando said. “Yomari and that stranger gave me the gift I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”

Watch videos made by real kidney donors to learn more.

Both Yomari and Orlando recovered well. He spent five days in the hospital and stayed in Dallas for several weeks before returning to Puerto Rico in January.

“Since my transplant, my condition is very stable, and all my tests are running perfectly,” he said. “It’s given me a second chance at life.”

Now retired, Orlando starts his mornings by caring for his two golden retrievers, taking medications, checking his blood pressure, and going for a three-mile walk.

“I spend the rest of my day meeting with others, spending time with family, traveling, and working as a kidney health advocate,” Orlando said. “I also met with and keep in touch with my direct donor, Scarlett Blanford, who donated the kidney I received through the exchange.”

And the best part? Orlando and Yomari remain friends to this day. 

“She’s a part of my family now. We have continuous contact,” Orlando said. “I also often refer Yomari to other patients and potential donors to help them better understand living donation. 

Considering living donation? Get matched with a trained NKF Peer living donor mentor to learn more. 

Referring Yomari to potential donors isn’t all Orlando has done for the kidney community since getting his transplant. 

“I’m a National Kidney Foundation patient advocate,” he said. “I participate in events like the NKF Patient Summit in Washington, D.C., online advocacy efforts, and educational programs–anything I can do to help such a great organization.”

Orlando also works locally to help educate people in Puerto Rico about kidney health, kidney disease, and living donation.

“It's my responsibility as a patient and kidney recipient to work with my community, my local political leaders, and the United States leaders to explain how hard it is living with kidney failure,” he said. “And that living donation is a great opportunity for so many people on the waitlist.”

Ready to raise your own voice? Become an NKF Voices for Kidney Health advocate.