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My Kidney Donation Story: Marcia Hultman

Marcia Hultman

My donation story may be a little bit different than most, as I started considering donation when I was 59 and overweight. I was at a class reunion talking to a classmate and she casually mentioned that she was in need of a kidney donor. I walked away from that conversation thinking, she needs someone to donate a kidney … why not me?

I let her know I was willing to be considered. We started the process of looking into a paired donation because we knew our blood type wasn’t the same. Navigating the process at a transplant center in Colorado, I became more confident in my decision because they were paying attention to my health as well, and I was seeing firsthand the limitations placed on my friend by her need for a kidney.

By the fall of 2023, my friend’s health had deteriorated, and she was doing home dialysis for 16 hours a day. She was moved up the transplant list and ended up getting a kidney without needing my paired donation.

However, my reasons for donating hadn’t changed, so I continued down the path as a nondirected donor. When I got tested initially, one concern they had about me was my weight. I worked hard to lose 60 pounds, which made me a much better candidate.

I began looking into the options in my home state of South Dakota. I reached out to one of our big medical providers, Avera. In the fall of 2024, I started the process of being tested with Avera. Things went quickly, I was approved, and I donated in October almost exactly one year to the day from when my friend received her new kidney.

None of this was meant to be self-serving, but I know more about my health now than I would have otherwise. That’s a benefit that doesn’t get talked about as much.

Marcia Hultman

I found the whole process reassuring and interesting. None of this was meant to be self-serving, but I know more about my health now than I would have otherwise. That’s a benefit that doesn’t get talked about as much. It made me more confident about my own overall health and future risk factors, and nothing motivated me to lose weight like the prospect of helping another did.

My recovery was smooth sailing. I was in the hospital for four days. We live four hours from the hospital, so they extended my stay by a day mostly because I didn’t want to leave the amazing hospital team. In a very short time, nurses and surgeons become family. I never took a single pain med once I was out of the hospital. I had taken eight weeks off from work because I have a high-stress job but was able to return to remote work at week four.

My recovery was pain free and issue free—I couldn’t have asked for anything better. My husband was a fabulous nurse for approximately two days. He faltered when I texted him from across the room asking him to turn off a light. After that, his “encouragement” to do things for myself certainly sped up my recovery.

I have no idea who received my kidney. At first, I really wanted to connect with my recipient. I even drafted a letter to them before my donation to initiate contact. Since the donation, I have cared less about knowing who got my kidney. I’ve made up my own backstory, and I never sent the letter to see if they wanted to connect. My team has shared that the recipient is doing well, and that is my main concern. As long as I can have those little updates, I’m OK with not knowing who it went to. I’m happy simply knowing somebody benefited.

My advice to anyone considering kidney donation would be to talk to their families and make sure they have family support. My own family was lukewarm on it but supportive because they knew my commitment was unwavering. Also, talk to others who have donated or have lived with one kidney. I’ve been amazed at all the stories just in my small community.

I was 61 when I finally donated. I thought my age would prohibit me from donating, so I talk about my age and weight loss a lot so others don’t think either would prevent them from being a donation candidate.

They tell you that you can change your mind right up until they put a mask on your face, but once I made the decision, I never looked back. I never had a single moment of doubt. I consider being able to donate one of the greatest blessings in my life and would do it again without hesitation.

About the Author

Marcia Hultman is a fourth-generation South Dakotan, though she was accidentally born in Colorado during a family visit there. Like her mother and grandmother before her, she was trained to be a teacher. After a decade in the classroom, she found her way to the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (SDDLR) in an entry-level position. Marcia has worked in the department for 28 years and was proud to be appointed as the Cabinet Secretary by Governor Dennis Daugaard in 2014. Marcia continued to serve as Secretary under Governor Noem and currently serves under Governor Rhoden. Marcia and her husband Brian have two adult male children who live in Minneapolis and Ft. Collins rather than living next door to their mother. The Hultmans live exactly 7.5 hours from each son, so frequent road trips are made to visit Riley and Brody at their homes.

Marcia’s experience has been all positive, and she continues to try to live by her new favorite saying. “I cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.”

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