TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The holidays are a time for giving and one Kansas City woman is getting the best gift of all — the gift of life.
Janet Swabby went into kidney failure in 2018 and in Oct. 2022, dialysis became too much.
“I get on hospice and they tell us, that day, that they gave me two days to two weeks to live — we were devastated,” said Swabby.
Except it’s been longer than two weeks. Janet just celebrated her 60th birthday.
She said that God brought her Kayla Harden of Rossville.
“God didn’t bring me this far to let to drop me,” said Swabby. “She came in at the right time and she has given me life.”
Harden said giving is what she does. She’s donated blood and even her hair.
“Does someone need a kidney or does someone need blood? Yeah. Can you give it? Sure and that’s your sure answer — it’s not what if,” said Harden.
Janet is a cousin of Kayla’s aunt. When she heard that Janet needed a kidney, Kayla got tested and on Dec. 1, her daughter helped her make this life-changing call.
“The what-ifs aren’t ever certain and what was certain was someone needed it and I was healthy enough to be able to give that to her,” said Harden. “There’s probably not someone more deserving than Janet to have my kidney. She’s going to use that kidney and share it with other people — in her own way.”
Harden’s daughter, while holding her mother’s hand, said that her mom is a super hero.
Swabby said there are no words to describe just how grateful she is.
“People like Kayla are out there and for people like me to have hope and to hang on because there might be a living donor out there somewhere,” said Swabby.
They are looking to do the transplant in Feb. 2024.
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