Kidney transplant connects two Oklahoma National Guardsmen for life

HIS FRIEND, CHRIS, GAVE HIM HIS KIDNEY. KOCO’S ANDY WEBER HAS THEIR STY.OR >> THIS IS GREG RANDOLPH AND CHRIS BUCK. GREG IS RETIRED FROM THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD, CISHR IS STILL ACTIVE. THEY’VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS. GREG’S WIFE HAD HELPED CHRIS AND S HIWIFE OBTAIN GUARDIANSHIP OF THEIR YOUNGE CSTHI.LD >> WE BECAME VERY CLOSE FAMILY FRIENDS, WE’VE HAD SEVERALMILY FUNCTIONS TOGETHER, WE REALLY CONSIDERED THEM FAMILY BEFORE ATTH >> GREG WAS DIAGNOSED WITH KIDNEY DISEASE IN 2007, HIS DOCTORS TOLD HIM AT THE TIME HE WOULD EVENTULYAL NEED A TRANSPLANT TO SURVIVE. >> THOSE WERE WORDS ANTRSPLA,NT DIALYSIS, THAT WERE BEING USED AND YOU’RE LIKE, WHATEVER I CAN DO TO STAY OUT OF TH.AT >> THE NEED FOR A TRANSPLANT CAME IN AUGUST 2020, AND LIKE EVERYONE DOES, GREG WENT ON A LISTWA, ITING FOR A DONOR THAT COULD GIVE A KIDNEY THAT WOULD BE A MATCH. IT WASN’T LONG AFTER GREG WENT ON THAT LIST WHEN CHRIS STEPPED IN. >> IT WAS NEVER A QUESTIONF O WHETHER OR I WANTED TO OR NOT, IT WAS JUST COULD I, WITH THE POSITION I WAS IN? AND ABSOLUTELY. >> AFTER A YEAR OF APPOINTMENTS, TESTING, AND NAVIGATING HEALTHCARE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, THE TWO MEN HAD THEIR OPERATIONS IN AUGUST 2021 AT INTEGRIS BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER. THAT SURGERY SUCCESSFUL. >> LIKE HE SAID, WE’VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED EACH OTHER FAMILY, BUT I FEEL IT’S MORE OAF BROTHERHOOD NOW THAN JUST A CASUAL WE’RE FAMILY OR WE’RE FRIENDS. >> BOTH MEN FEEL AS GOOD AS NEW. CHRIS, A RUNNER, WAS BACK OUT ON HIS DAILY 8 MILE RUNS ONLY A FEW WEEKS AFTESUR RGY.ER GREG IS FEELING GREAT, AND READY TO RETURN TO HIS NORMAL LIFE, AFTER HAVING TO LET HIS IMMUNE SYSTEM RECOVER. ONE THING HE’S ALREADY DONE THOUGH, BECOME AN ORGAN DONOR. >> IT TOTALLY CHANGED MY OUTOKLO AND THOUGHT ABOUT A SELFLESS LIFE TO BE ABLE TO HEL

During Greg Randolph’s last official military physical exam, he was diagnosed with degenerative kidney disease after serving 24 years in the Oklahoma National Guard.Until recently, the condition was manageable through medication."It’s one thing to talk about kidney deterioration and dialysis," Randolph said. "But when you hear 'transplant,' it kind of punches you in the gut because that is something you’ve been trying to avoid for 14 years."Randolph was referred to a transplant institute at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was quickly placed on the transplant list, but the wait began for a suitable donor."I had known Greg for a few years because our wives were friends. His wife, Gerri, had actually helped us through the adoption process of our great-niece," said Randolph’s friend, Chris Buck. "And being an active National Guard member myself, we had a lot in common and got along really well."Admittedly, Buck hadn’t given organ donation much thought. "I had never even considered being an organ donor before, because I guess it’s one of those things you never even think about until someone you know needs it," Buck said.Randolph recalled their first conversation about organ donation."We were just sitting in the backyard eating hamburgers and hot dogs when Chris is like ‘I’ll give you my kidney.’ I didn’t really know what to say," Randolph said. "How do you react to such selflessness?" Randolph and Buck were a perfect match but faced an issue with Buck’s active duty status. Buck needed permission from the surgeon general of the Army. "I think it was meant to be for sure," Buck said. "Just the way everything fell into place so easily."Randolph agreed."I personally attribute this to being a part of a miracle," Randolph said. "To have somebody who cares enough about somebody else’s life to take out a major part of their own body and freely give it away – there are no words to explain that as a recipient. It’s the perfect example of one Guard member giving to another Guard member."E.N. Scott Samara, M.D., a surgical director at the Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute, performed the surgery with his son, Shea Samara, M.D. "I have been doing kidney transplants for over 30 years. I continue to be so grateful for the friends and family who unselfishly come forward to donate a kidney," Samara said. "Greg was able to receive Chris’ kidney less than a year after being listed for a transplant, while the typical waiting time for a deceased donor is generally three to five years."A living-donor kidney transplant, which accounts for one-third of U.S. kidney transplants, occurs when a kidney from a living donor is given to a recipient whose kidneys are no longer functioning properly. One kidney can replace two failed kidneys, which makes the transplant an alternative to a deceased-donor kidney transplant. "The beauty about a living donor transplant is that no one has to die for the miracle to occur," Samara said. "Each day, 12 people die waiting for a kidney transplant. Just imagine how many more lives could be saved if more people would consider being a living donor."

During Greg Randolph’s last official military physical exam, he was diagnosed with degenerative kidney disease after serving 24 years in the Oklahoma National Guard.

Until recently, the condition was manageable through medication.

"It’s one thing to talk about kidney deterioration and dialysis," Randolph said. "But when you hear 'transplant,' it kind of punches you in the gut because that is something you’ve been trying to avoid for 14 years."

Randolph was referred to a transplant institute at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was quickly placed on the transplant list, but the wait began for a suitable donor.

"I had known Greg for a few years because our wives were friends. His wife, Gerri, had actually helped us through the adoption process of our great-niece," said Randolph’s friend, Chris Buck. "And being an active National Guard member myself, we had a lot in common and got along really well."

Admittedly, Buck hadn’t given organ donation much thought.

"I had never even considered being an organ donor before, because I guess it’s one of those things you never even think about until someone you know needs it," Buck said.

Randolph recalled their first conversation about organ donation.

"We were just sitting in the backyard eating hamburgers and hot dogs when Chris is like ‘I’ll give you my kidney.’ I didn’t really know what to say," Randolph said. "How do you react to such selflessness?"

Randolph and Buck were a perfect match but faced an issue with Buck’s active duty status. Buck needed permission from the surgeon general of the Army.

"I think it was meant to be for sure," Buck said. "Just the way everything fell into place so easily."

Randolph agreed.

"I personally attribute this to being a part of a miracle," Randolph said. "To have somebody who cares enough about somebody else’s life to take out a major part of their own body and freely give it away – there are no words to explain that as a recipient. It’s the perfect example of one Guard member giving to another Guard member."

E.N. Scott Samara, M.D., a surgical director at the Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute, performed the surgery with his son, Shea Samara, M.D.

"I have been doing kidney transplants for over 30 years. I continue to be so grateful for the friends and family who unselfishly come forward to donate a kidney," Samara said. "Greg was able to receive Chris’ kidney less than a year after being listed for a transplant, while the typical waiting time for a deceased donor is generally three to five years."

A living-donor kidney transplant, which accounts for one-third of U.S. kidney transplants, occurs when a kidney from a living donor is given to a recipient whose kidneys are no longer functioning properly. One kidney can replace two failed kidneys, which makes the transplant an alternative to a deceased-donor kidney transplant.

"The beauty about a living donor transplant is that no one has to die for the miracle to occur," Samara said. "Each day, 12 people die waiting for a kidney transplant. Just imagine how many more lives could be saved if more people would consider being a living donor."

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