Malcolm Randall~Maryland

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Teen donates kidney to save dad

When Malcolm Randall learned he needed a kidney two years ago, he decided not to broadcast it.
He didn't hide his medical condition or the fact that he was receiving dialysis, but he didn't go around asking anyone to donate either. That is, until his daughter, La'shell, then 17, told him she would give him her kidney. He tried to discourage her and so did the doctors, but no one could stop her. In April, they underwent a successful surgery.
"Everyone knows you can't live on dialysis but for so long," said La'shell, now 19. "You can't have a normal life. There's a lot of stuff you're unable to do. So I told him I'd give him my kidney and he didn't believe me."

La'shell is one of roughly 20 people the American Red Cross will honor tomorrow for being hometown heroes.

She will receive the Youth Good Samaritan award. Each year, residents nominate individuals in their community they believe have gone above and beyond the call of duty. To qualify, recipients were required to live in Baltimore City or county, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Harford or Howard counties.

The categories include adult good samaritan, animal rescue, chairman's award and community outreach, among others. They will be honored with a breakfast at the Sheraton Inner Harbor.

"The American Red Cross is thrilled to honor these individuals who made such a difference in their local community," said event coordinator Danielle Tyler in a prepared statement. "Our volunteers and partners in the field are vital in helping us to serve those in need every day and whose dedication and commitment actually save lives."

The problems began for Mr. Randall of Annapolis, in 2004, when he suffered renal failure. He didn't want anyone to undergo surgery for him, so he figured he would stay on dialysis as long as he could and get on the transplant list. He knew the wait could be as long as five years, but that was a risk he was willing to take. "I felt like this was the end," Mr. Randall said. "I couldn't ask someone to donate a kidney; I couldn't. I felt that if they knew I needed a kidney and that's what they wanted to do, they would follow through."

In stepped La'shell. She told her father that he could have her kidney, but he told her that he didn't want her to do it. But she was persistent and started to see doctors, who also told her that the surgery wasn't wise. At the time, La'shell was experiencing joint pain and her doctors worried that she might have lupus. There were also concerns for her future. One person even told her that if she decided to have kids in the future, her pregnancy might be more difficult because she only had one kidney.

Later, lupus was ruled out and La'shell still wanted to proceed. She went through a year's worth of testing and the transplant was completed in April. The surgery was a success, but the recovery was quicker for Mr. Randall than it was for La'shell.

"The morning after, it was painful," La'shell said. "I felt like a tractor trailer hit me. My dad was up, eating and talking and I was down. "

Even though Mr. Randall's kidneys work fine, he recently contracted a blood infection that impacted his heart. He has been recovering in a Baltimore nursing home and expects to be there for about two weeks.

Still, he can't forget La'shell's kindness. It's not unusual for him to look at her and exclaim, "that's my kidney right there; that's my lifesaver!"

"I just feel like I owe her," Mr. Randall said. "I feel like I owe her my life. When I think about it, it brings tears to my eyes. I just can't imagine anyone being that giving. I really don't expect that out of the average person."
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