Long Beach firefighters make news in Loma Linda
Carl Scheu, 54, a Long Beach fire department supervisor, had been waiting for a kidney since December, 1996. He had end-stage renal disease and his kidneys were failing. Since August, 1994, he had received peritoneal dialysis at home every night for approximately eight hours.
Jason Wight, 38, a Rancho Cucamonga resident and also a firefighter with the Long Beach fire department, knew of Carl's condition. In March, 1997, Jason requested information from Loma Linda University Transplantation Institute regarding the living donor procedure. Later that month, the first cross match test was conducted, followed by extensive testing.
Jason turned out to be a match for Carl.
Over the next few months Jason was tested for multiple diseases, went through the living donor protocol, was evaluated by a nephrologist, completed a renal angiogram, and went through multiple tests to ensure he was healthy and able to withstand the living donor surgery.
On October 6, Carl and Halina Scheu and Jason and Marybeth Wight arrived at Loma Linda. Word of this incredible demonstration of friendship had reached the media, and the number of requests from the media to talk to the two families warranted a news conference.
With tears of thankfulness, Carl struggled at the news conference to express his appreciation to Jason, who handled the pressure of the situation with a joke, a smile, and a hug for his friend.
Okechukwu Ojogho, MD, assistant director of Loma Linda University Transplantation Institute, and the transplant surgeon who conducted the procedure, explained to the media what would be taking place the next day.
"Carl would have waited two to three years for a cadaver kidney had Jason not stepped forward," says Ruth Cutodio, RN, BSN, CNN, kidney/pancreas transplant coordinator. "Jason's donation will give Carl quality of life and freedom from dialysis."
The surgery took place the next day, and everything went smoothly.
Jason went home on Friday, and Carl two days later on Sunday. The media again turned out to bring closure to this story--one with a very happy ending.
Living donor surgeries are done almost every week at Loma Linda University Medical Center on both adult and pediatric patients.
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