SF vice principal donates kidney to former student
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KTVU) – The vice principal of a school in San Francisco and her former student are both on the road to recovery after she donated her kidney to him.
Christine Buell and Kelvin Sanders, 20, went into surgery Tuesday, according to a Facebook page set up by Sanders’ family.
Sanders was diagnosed with end stage renal disease in 2014, and his kidneys failed.
The family started a Facebook page to help him find a donor.
Buell, vice principal at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, found out about Sanders’ health problems.
It turned out she was a perfect match.
“She gave me the best Christmas gift anyone could ask for,” said Sanders.
“I’m glad he can use my gently used kidney,” said Buell.
The surgery was scheduled to happen before the holidays at UCSF Medical Center, but it was delayed and changed to another hospital after UCSF voluntarily suspended its living donor program for kidney transplants.
Sanders created a GoFundMe account with a goal of raising $10,000 as a way to thank Buell. The page exceeded that goal in less than 10 days.