Fowler wins first Spirit Award for kidney donation to Oklahoma Christian professor
Janel Shoun |
Mike Fowler, vice chair of pharmaceutical sciences, was awarded Tuesday by President L. Randolph Lowry as Lipscomb University’s first Spirit Award recipient for living out a Christian spirit when he donated one of his kidneys to friend and former colleague Kathy Thompson of Oklahoma Christian University.
Fowler worked with Thompson at Oklahoma Christian and played with her in a community orchestra for years, but he had moved on to Nashville by the time Thompson was placed on the kidney transplant list. As Thompson’s condition moved her closer to full-time dialysis, Fowler volunteered this past spring to be tested for donation. He knew better than most what it is like to have to live a life tied to a dialysis machine 2-3 times a week.
Previously in his career, Fowler worked as the director of clinical chemistry at the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, overseeing all the blood testing at the hospital. Each year he and some of his staff spent time during the summer at Kidney Camp, a residence camp for children on dialysis.
Because the children couldn’t go for more than a few days without dialysis, the kids had to bring all their medical technicians with them to get the true summer camp experience. So the hospital sent personnel to do dialysis on-site; dieticians monitored the kids’ diet; and Fowler’s technicians took a mobile lab out to the camp to do the blood work.
“I understand almost as well as a nephrologist what her disease means for her,” said Fowler. “I’ve seen the consequences of kidney disease after all these years working with children.” So when he put his name on the list of people to be tested as potential donors, he knew on the front end he had to be willing to follow through.
“I knew I would be on a very short list. I knew the match didn’t have to be total, so the decision to do it really came before the testing took place,” he said. “I’ve been blessed with outstanding health, so this was one of those things that needed to be done and I could do it.”
There he underwent DNA screenings, tests by a cardiologist and a 3-D CAT scan to measure and map his kidney. The doctors need to see where the blood vessels come in and out of the organ so they can match it up in Thompson’s body, he said.
On May 20, Fowler and Thompson were scheduled to meet the entire transplant team together, and the surgery was scheduled for a week later. For Fowler, the surgery was laparoscopic, so the doctors didn’t have to break his ribs. He spent 48 to 72 hours in the hospital after the transplant.
Thompson had the tougher experience, as doctors had to make an open incision to insert the kidney and monitor her in the hospital for some time after the surgery, Fowler said.
Even so, kidney donation is hardly the trauma that it was 20 years ago. For this particular organ, the donor does not need to be an exact match, Fowler said. He and Thompson don’t even have the same blood type. He has type O blood, which can be donated to anyone. He has been a frequent blood donor in the past.
“For someone to volunteer to do that is such a great blessing,” said Thompson, who attended church at Memorial Road Church of Christ with Fowler’s family for some 20 years. “He explained to me that he has had a heart for kidney patients since Kidney Camp.”
Thompson’s brother suffers from the same disease and had a kidney transplant three years ago. In addition, Thompson says she has a good friend who has a transplant and has helped prepare her for the procedure.
Thompson said she had about 8 percent function left in her kidneys and had been on the transplant list for 14 months.
“So many people are praying for us, I’m sure it will all work out for the best,” she said.
“I understand what dialysis is and how that would limit her,” a true shame as Thompson, “influences lots and lots of kids and plays piano for the women’s events and services at her church,” Fowler said.
Fowler kept in touch with Thompson by phone before he went out to Oklahoma. “I called to try and encourage her,” he said. “She was at a point where the disease was starting to take its toll, but she finished out the semester. She’s someone who just tries to keep going. She’s a tough lady.” .”