Jeff Tallman, Living Donor

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I'd love for our story to be heard...

My name is Jeff Tallman. In July 2024, I donated my kidney to a close friend of over 40 years.

We both grew up in a small town in east central Nevada. Growing up in a small community provides the opportunity to develop lifelong friendships. That was the case with Kelly and I. Growing up, we were close friends. We played sports together, hung out together and I even worked for his family at a restaurant they owned. Throughout the years, we kept in touch and remained close friends.

About 3 years ago, his kidney disease went from stage 2 to stage 5. He was on daily dialysis for 8-10 hours a day. Once I found out about his diagnosis, I immediately offered to get tested to see if I was able to donate my kidney to him. After extensive medical testing, it was determined that I was a candidate and a match to donate to him. As I previously mentioned, our surgery was in July 2024. I’m so glad to report that both of us are doing amazing. He has returned to living a normal life and my body has adjusted to going from one kidney to two. It’s been an amazing experience for both of us and I’d love for our story to be heard. I would like to be a resource to people that might be considering becoming a living donor.


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  1. September 19th, 2024 | Betty Day |

    I am so very happy for you. I too am a Kidney Recieptient. I received my Kidney in 2001 and have been doing FANTASTIC! It has given me 23 yrs of enjoying life, going on 24! My donor and I celebrate every year. Our story is to long to type out. However it was all an absolute "GOD SEND!". I did not know this man, my donor. I actually put him off for a year because I was so afraid of the Transplant. I too was on Dialysis for 2 yrs.

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  2. September 18th, 2024 | Carole Tower |

    Our son Bill looked so much like your friend who is a donor. Bill worked as an Organ Donor Coordinator in Phoenix for fifteen years. Bill passed away on October 11, 2020 due to colon cancer. Bill believed in organ donation so much, but due to the cancer he could not donate himself. So very glad that your friend and you are now both well.
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  3. September 18th, 2024 | Carole Tower |

    Yout friend looks so much like our son Bill Tower who was an Organ Donor Coordinator for fifteen years in Arizona. He passed awsy on October 11, 2020 due to colon cancer. Bill believed in organ donation so muvh, but due to the cancer he could not donste himself.
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  4. September 18th, 2024 | Carole Tower |

    Our son Bill Tower looked so much like your friend, who is a donor. Bill worked as an Organ Donor Cordinator in Arizona for fifteen years. He passed away from colon cancer on Octobrr 11, 2020. He believed so much in the importance of organ donation, but he could not donate himself because of his cancer. I am so happy to hear of the success in your recovery, .for both you and your friend.
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