The friendship between the Cartwright and Hall families stretches back nearly 25 years, when Mary-Claire Cartwright (HHS’85, MS LA’16) joined the Purdue Research Foundation in 1992. Judy Hall (HHS’79), already employed at the foundation, became a mentor and friend to the new hire.
Their husbands, Mark Cartwright (ME’84) and Curt Hall (HHS’92), who served in the armed forces before attending Purdue, soon joined their wives to create a fearsome foursome of deep respect and friendship. Over the years, they’ve celebrated the great rewards and faced the great challenges of life together.
Little did they know that they would face one of life’s greatest trials when in 1999, Curt was diagnosed with membranous glomerulonephritis, a degenerative kidney disease. The disease advanced so far that by December 2015, he was put on the kidney transplant list. His doctor told him that if he had a bucket list, now was the time to do it. By then, Curt was on thrice weekly dialysis treatments. A donor was needed badly; the days and weeks dragged by. Curt knew the odds. At any given time, more than 119,000 people in the United States are on the wait list for an organ transplant. The average wait for a kidney is seven to nine years, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
“We were, of course, aware and concerned about Curt,” Mary-Claire says. “Mark and I talked about it and did quite a bit of research on the process of donating a kidney, and we understood the risks. We also knew that if either of us were a match, it was something we wanted to do.”
Finding a match is difficult because not only do the individuals need to crossmatch with their blood types but also with HLA typing, sometimes referred to as tissue typing or protein cell matching. The chance for a match between two unrelated people is about one in 100,000.
“Numerous family and friends, including Judy and our son, David, had either tested or volunteered to be tested, but none matched,” Curt says. “The support was incredibly uplifting, and our faith kept us going.”
In early 2016, Mary-Claire tested for kidney compatibility with Curt. “When my test came back as a match, that was it for me,” she says. “I did not hesitate.”
“When Mary-Claire told me, my first words were, ‘I can’t believe you would do this for us,’” Judy says. Mary-Claire was sure that Judy and Curt would have done the same for her and Mark, a sentiment agreed to by all.
“I couldn’t believe it — the generosity, the true gift of life Mary-Claire was offering. I was hopeful but still wary,” Curt says. “The what-ifs kept me awake at night. I kept thinking, ‘What if it doesn’t work? What if Mary-Claire’s health is compromised?’”
“I couldn’t believe it — the generosity, the true gift of life Mary-Claire was offering. I was hopeful but still wary. The what-ifs kept me awake at night. I kept thinking, ‘What if it doesn’t work? What if Mary-Claire’s health is compromised?’”
—Curt Hall
“Mary-Claire has always been in excellent health. I was worried, but I respected her decision and just felt it would be fine,” Mark says.
Being a match was just the beginning of the process. “IU Health is very thorough,” Mary-Claire says. “I participated in a workshop and met with psychologists, surgeons, and other professionals.”
The operation, which required two teams of surgical professionals, took place August 26. “It seemed like a long wait, but then it was here,” Curt says. “When the operation began, I was amazed at how professional and caring everyone was.”
Mary-Claire was taken to a separate floor at the hospital, and neither saw each other for several hours. “The first thing I remember after waking up was the doctor telling me that Mary-Claire’s kidney started working immediately in my body,” Curt says. “He said this was a very good sign.” Mary-Claire’s second kidney also began functioning at a high level right away for her.
“When I was told that both Mary-Claire and Curt were both doing so well, I was amazed,” Mark says. Other family members had their own reactions.
“Our kids took it in stride,” Mary-Claire says. “My mother had the concerns that only a mother will have.”
“Our families were so happy and grateful,” Judy says.
“I feel great; no pain now,” Curt says. “I feel better than I have in 10 years, and I am back to work full-time for the Purdue GMP Center. My colleagues fully supported me through the whole process.”
“I feel fantastic. I was back to work part-time within a couple of weeks,” Mary-Claire says. “I feel the same as I did before the operation.”
There is one oddity that they can’t explain. “My cholesterol ran dangerously high at 400 to 600 most of my adult life,” Curt says. “Now it is 152.”
“The exact same as my cholesterol,” Mary-Claire adds with a smile.
Curt still goes to IU Health University Hospital weekly for follow-ups. “I received the gift of life, and I hope that others will do what Mary-Claire did to help me,” Curt says.
All four of these friends have stamped their driver’s licenses to be organ donors and support the living donor program at IU Health. “We always have, and I hope others are inspired to do the same,” Judy says.