Perfect match: Daughter donates kidney to her mother with diabetes

Tuesday, August 25, 2020
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Linda Humphrey-Morgan is feeling like herself again after getting a new kidney last month.

"Life is good again," she said.
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Humphrey-Morgan received a kidney donated by her daughter, Shara, who desperately wanted to see her mother survive diabetes.

Humphrey-Morgan has had diabetes for decades, which left her gravely ill.

"I went to the hospital where she was admitted, and told her, I need you to do this. I need to you do this for me," Shara said.

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But Humphrey-Morgan refused treatment for years, even as her health declined.
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"I was always tired, I was depressed. I couldn't taste food," she said.



Eventually, Humphrey-Morgan agreed to accept her daughter's kidney, which was a perfect match.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Dinee Simpson who said she's all too familiar with patients who are fearful or do not trust their doctors.

"Based on a lot of misinformation and myths that tend to circulate in the African American community, patients will decide not to move forward with something that can be life-saving and life-changing," she said.

Simpson is one of nine African American women across the country who are transplant surgeons.
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She said having more minorities as medical professionals can help With putting patients at ease.



"When you have a group that has struggled with distrust in the healthcare system, seeing someone who looks like them helps to mitigate a lot of that," she said.

As for Humphrey-Morgan, she's thankful she listened to her daughter and her doctor and has a new outlook.

"I went way down to the bottom and I feel like I got my life back. I feel normal again," she said.
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