LEBANON — Some patients have to wait up to seven years for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor, with more than 100,000 people on the national waiting list.
But for one Randolph resident, it didn’t take so long. His colleague at Artistree Community Arts Center in South Pomfret volunteered one of her kidneys.
“It’s not common. It’s very rare,” Dr. Michael Daily, the transplant surgeon, said of organ donation between coworkers.
Robert Kimmerle, 51, is the finance manager at Artistree. After 15 years of struggling with chronic kidney disease, he confided during a staff meeting that he needed a kidney “sooner rather than later,” he said.
“I was actually really scared to have that conversation,” Kimmerle said. “… It’s a really heavy thing to ask.”
Lisa Kaija, 64, art educator at Artistree, was a perfect match. After a long process, they underwent surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in November.
Earlier this month, Kimmerle and Kaija reunited at the hospital with their transplant surgeons: Daily, who removed Kaija’s kidney, and Dr. Abe Matar, who transferred it to Kimmerle one room over.
While Kimmerle experienced some physical discomfort because of his condition, the mental anguish became a symptom of its own over the years.
“It really sort of weighs on you knowing basically you have a ticking clock inside your body and you know every day it’s getting a little bit worse,” Kimmerle said.
To get to surgery, there were hurdles beyond confirming a blood-type match. To ensure safety for both the donor and recipient, they underwent several examinations. Kaija had never experienced a stress test or cardiogram before then. To her surprise, Kaija learned she was a match in January 2025.
Then came the mental preparation.
‘I knew I wanted to do it’
This wasn’t the first time Kaija considered organ donation. Someone in her life needed a kidney several years ago, but the informational material that the hospital mailed to her was daunting, she said.
“When I saw this huge, thick packet, I freaked out and said, ‘I can’t do this,’ and so I just filed it away,” Kaija said.
But, while Kaija felt ready this time around, her family was apprehensive.
“Nobody was terribly thrilled that I was going through this, but I knew I wanted to do it,” Kaija said. “And I guess I felt the need to do it, that I would regret it if I didn’t.”
For Kimmerle, the decision was less complicated, as receiving a kidney was the “best possible outcome,” he said, and a surefire way to extend his lifespan. He felt well cared for at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, particularly when Daily said he’d performed more than 600 of these surgeries.
“That was probably the most reassuring thing I’ve ever heard anyone say in my life,” Kimmerle said.
Kaija’s recovery more “rugged” than expected, but she bounced back after the first month, she said.
For Kimmerle, healing took longer, and he must remain cautious now about being immunocompromised. He avoids crowds, certain foods and swimming lakes. But he said it’s a small price to pay for the overall health improvements.
“Today I feel better than I did when I was 35,” Kimmerle said.
There are benefits of living organ donation beyond cutting down the wait time. Kidneys from donors last longer and function better, Daily said.
Seventeen people die each day waiting for an organ transplant, and someone is added to the transplant waiting list every eight minutes, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.
The kidney transplant list remains the longest among organ waiting lists: 86% of people waiting on organ transplants need a kidney.
Calling a person to say they’re going to be a match is a rewarding part of Daily’s job, he said. Unfortunately, it’s common to turn away willing donors because concerns often arise.
“We want to feel very confident that they’re going to have enough kidney function to last for the rest of their lives,” Daily said of both the donor and recipient.
People interested in becoming a kidney donor can learn more through the Dartmouth Health informational page.
