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In a time of great need, a stranger came to the aid of a North Carolina man, changing his life forever and creating an everlasting bond.
Steve Sanders, 46, is a single father of two children with a rare condition called uromodulin kidney disease (UKD).
Because of his diagnosis, he would either have to find a kidney donor or undergo arduous dialysis in order to continue living.
After an online campaign, Chris Perez, 40, who was a stranger at the time, reached out to donate his kidney, saving the life of someone who is now a close friend of his.
Steve Sanders (right), 46, suffered from a rare kidney disease that required a donation to avoid dialysis. Chris Pereze (left), 40, who he had never met before, told Sanders' story on social media and offered to become a donor
Sanders (center right) is a single father of two young children, which inspired Perez (left) to come forward
Perez (pictured) is a father himself, and he and Sanders bonded over their shared experiences of fatherhood
In conversation with atrium health, At the hospital that performed the procedure and at Perez's workplace, Sanders described himself as an active father.
Dialysis can be devastating and extremely stressful for a person, and it rarely does much more than extend a person's lifespan by a few years.
If he were to go that route, he wouldn't be able to participate in his children's lives the way he currently can.
Sanders is a father of two young children (pictured), and he feared that dialysis would be too stressful and impact his ability to raise his children
“I didn’t think dialysis would give me the opportunity to do the things I can do now with my children,” Sanders said.
“Finding a match for a living kidney meant it would likely last twice as long compared to a cadaver kidney, and we would have the advantage of testing the donor beforehand.”
He said he received support from family and friends throughout his ordeal, with many even offering to be a donor, although none were a good match.
“I first looked at family, friends and those in my close circle, but they either didn’t qualify or they weren’t a good match,” he said.
“I knew the process would take some time, but as time went on it became more and more obvious that I would soon need a new kidney.”
After failing to find a kidney in his inner circle, he went online. He created a website detailing his situation and promoted it on social media sites.
Perez, who serves as director of volunteer services at Atrium's Carolinas office, saw Sanders' story and was inspired.
Perez and Sanders quickly became close friends, and in January 2022, the surgery to donate the kidney was successfully completed. Pictured: The men hug each other after the operation is completed
"My wife saw Steve's post and brought it to my attention... I read through his story and saw that he also had children," Perez said.
“It was about his story as a father, and I tried to imagine a situation like this where I would need help.”
“I didn’t know him, but I thought, let’s try it – I’d want someone to do it for me.”
Perez was determined a match by doctors after undergoing regular tests.
He connected with Sanders, and the two quickly bonded over their similar educational backgrounds and shared experiences as fathers.
Sanders said it was clear Perez did what he did to help a fellow father continue raising his children.
Both Sanders (pictured) and Perez were able to go home to recover a few days after surgery
"It's a chance to continue living a normal life with my children. It shows Chris' commitment to being a father and giving me the same chance," he said.
In January 2022, doctors successfully completed the kidney transplant and both men were able to go home to recover after a few days.
"The fact that Chris was willing to undergo surgery and donate to a stranger... that's a gift that you can't put a value on," Dr. Kent Kircher, who performed the operation in the atrium.
People who suffer from UKD have kidneys that cannot properly excrete uric acid through urine.
Eventually it will build up in the kidneys and cause gout before eventually turning into kidney disease.
Over time, a person with UKD will have their kidneys fall apart and die as a result.