Local Woman Donates Her Kidney to a Stranger and Improves Her Own Health

Altruistic Donor Starts Chain Donation at Sharp Memorial Hospital

SAN DIEGO — A Chula Vista woman's decision to donate a lifesaving kidney to someone she doesn't even know prompted her to dramatically improve her own health. Over the past two years, Lorena Rodriguez has walked three miles every day after work and cut out junk food — including her beloved Cheetos and Saladitos Mexican treats — to lose more than 45 pounds, lower her blood pressure and qualify for kidney surgery.

Lorena Rodriguez (left) with her kidney recipient, Monique McCray. 
Lorena Rodriguez (left) with
her kidney recipient Monique
McCray.

Rodriguez is a 19-year employee of Balboa Nephrology Medical Group and has witnessed the heartache and suffering that patients with kidney failure endure on a day-to-day basis. That experience motivated her to call the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Center at Sharp Memorial Hospital and offer to be an altruistic kidney donor. Doctors told Rodriguez that she needed to lose weight before she could donate her kidney.

After a lot of hard work on the treadmill, and support from coworkers who accompany her on hikes around San Diego, Rodriguez was scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, Feb. 9. Her donation will start a chain that will provide much-needed kidney transplants to three people, including a patient in New York.

Sharp Memorial is the only San Diego-based member of the National Kidney Registry, which connects people willing to donate a kidney to someone they don't know in exchange for their loved one receiving a compatible kidney. Many of these donation chains start with an altruistic donor like Rodriguez.

About Sharp Memorial Hospital
With a tradition of excellence since 1955, Sharp Memorial Hospital is recognized internationally for outstanding programs in emergency and trauma services, surgery, cardiac and vascular care, cancer treatment, rehabilitation, orthopedic and neurological services, women's health, weight- loss surgery, multi-organ transplantation and home care.

A Magnet-designated facility for nursing excellence, Sharp Memorial recently completed an expansion to become San Diego's first hospital with all private patient rooms. The new 315,000-square-foot, 334-bed structure, named the Stephen Birch Healthcare Center, is also the first hospital in San Diego to open since 1993. 

Sharp Memorial is part of Sharp HealthCare, the region's largest health care provider and a 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient. To learn more about Sharp Memorial, please call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277).

Last Updated: September 29, 2011