Jim Kintz first heard about Lauren Davis’ need for a kidney transplant from her dad while Lauren’s band was onstage.
“I thought, this is something I could do,” Kintz said.
The next morning, while Kintz prayed at Innovation Church in Cresco over the situation, Davis walked in.
“I’m going to give you a kidney,” he told her.
“I was shocked,” Davis said. “It was unexpected.”
How did Jim know he would match, you ask. Well, Jim knew about paired donations. He signed up with Lauren at Johns Hopkins for a kidney swap. He donated a kidney to someone; someone donated to Lauren, and somehow, according to the article, there was a kidney leftover for the UNOS list. Maybe it was one of those loaves and fishes deals.
Kintz said when he first heard about the paired match program he thought “I just felt God was telling me I could do this.”
His reasons for donating? Simple.
“Why not? I have two kidneys. I’ve been tremendously blessed all my life with healthy children and grandchildren. I can give back this way.”
Congrats!