A Glenwood woman became a living kidney donor for an Alexandria man she barely knew, and a moment of faith neither family will ever forget. Living kidney donation is one of the most direct ways to save a life, offering patients with kidney failure an alternative to years of dialysis and long transplant waitlists.
When Elroy Frank went in for a routine eye exam on December 12, 2007, he had no reason to expect anything out of the ordinary. He left with an appointment on the books and, though he didn’t know it yet, a kidney on the way.
The Alexandria resident had been living with a single functioning kidney since age 13. For decades, that kidney did its job without complaint. But in 2004, it began to deteriorate. By late 2006, physicians told Frank the organ was nearing failure. His name went onto a national transplant waiting list, with doctors warning that without a new kidney, dialysis would be unavoidable.
By December 2007, Elroy’s health was in noticeable decline, and the need for a transplant had grown urgent. It was at that December eye clinic appointment that his path crossed with Jacqueline (Jackie) Moe, a Glenwood resident. She was performing a routine medical history update when she learned about Elroy’s kidney situation and the long wait he faced for a donor.
“Right away I knew,” Jackie said. “The Holy Spirit impressed it upon my heart that I was the one who should give him a kidney. I just knew. It was that black and white.”
“I went home and told my husband, Craig, who was fully supportive. His faith made the answer easy.” Jackie added, “There’s never been a day that either of us has regretted it.”
A Question She Had to Ask
The following week, Elroy’s wife, Loiann, came in for her eye appointment. Jackie had been wrestling with whether to say anything at all. She was so certain of the answer, but couldn’t resist asking Loiann one question: What is Elroy’s blood type? When she answered, Jackie recalls telling Loiann, “I’m going to give your husband a kidney.”
Christmas came and went, and Elroy’s condition continued to worsen. By January 2008, he began dialysis, four hours a day, three times a week, with no foreseeable end unless a donor was available.
“I just felt so bad for him. With kidney dialysis, people cycle through feeling good, then bad, and then restart the process; it’s sad,” Jackie said. “The person has to commit their life to it. They can’t go anywhere.”
Without telling Elroy and Loiann, Jackie traveled to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis and spent a full day undergoing physical and psychological testing.
February 1st
When she was walking into work on February 1, 2008, Jackie got a call from HCMC verifying what she already knew. “They told me that the tests confirmed I was a perfect match if I was still willing to proceed. I said, ‘Absolutely’ — not a single part of me was afraid.”
The Million-Dollar Call
Jackie called Elroy immediately and recalls the conversation she’ll never forget. “I asked, ‘Do you remember telling me that you needed a kidney? I went in to get tested, and we’re a perfect match. I’m willing to donate my kidney to you if you’re willing to accept it.’ The phone went silent, and then he asked if this was real and began crying. I told him that if it worked for him, they could do the surgery on February 26.”
Jackie couldn’t have been happier. “It was a million-dollar phone call. Nothing can ever replace the happiness I felt when I called him.“
When Craig, Jackie, and their two young sons met the Franks for the first time, Jackie recalls, “It was like we were old friends who had known each other forever. Everyone hugged. Since our first meeting, they treated my boys like grandparents. They were involved in their lives for many years growing up.”
On February 26, 2008, Jackie and Elroy each underwent a 4-hour surgery at HCMC. Frank woke up from surgery to find the new kidney already functioning.
“After we both recovered, I did tell Elroy that if he came back to the eye clinic looking for a liver, I wasn’t giving him one,” Jackie said.
Looking Back – A Faith Builder
“It was a bigger faith builder for me. It helped me look at the world and see the difference we can make. We are all born for something.” Jackie added, “We have opportunities every day to help others. People aren’t always willing or don’t hear God’s voice. Do we slow down enough to hear it – it’s not always as big as giving someone your kidney.”
Jackie also hopes that sharing her story inspires others to take action. “Sure, there’s testing, then surgery and recovery, but it’s not complicated.”
Learn More About Live Donor Registration
There are currently more than 89,000 people in the United States waiting for a kidney transplant. A living donor can change that — one conversation, one test, one yes at a time. If Jackie’s story moves you to explore donation, the process starts with a single step: visit DonateLife.net or contact a transplant center near you to learn about living donor evaluation.