We all know that Craigslist is a great place to get hooked up with whatever it is that you may be looking for, a new bike, an old Jeep, a rare iguana…If you want it, chances are you can probably find it there. But what if the item you need is a little more personal, like a bodily organ for example?
Daniel Flood was in dire need of a kidney transplant or would have to face frequent dialysis. The 68 year old already had the disadvantage of only being born with one kidney in the first place, and his second one was not looking so good. With over 75,000 Americans waiting for a kidney, the chances of him receiving one was pretty slim. To stack the odds against him a little more, his blood type was O-negative, a hard match to find, and none of his friends or relatives were a compatible donor. His three daughters promised to do everything in their power to find him a new kidney, so they turned where any internet savvy person looking for something would go: Craigslist.
The women got over 100 responses on their hunt for daddy’s new kidney, though most were A)trying to sell their extra organ (which is illegal,) or B) Not a blood type match. They finally heard from Dawn Verdick, 48, who was on Craigslist looking for a volunteer project. The ad caught her attention because of the matching blood type, and so she decided to test whether hers would be a compatible kidney. They were almost a perfect fit, and so after a few psychological and physical evaluations, the kidney swap took place. The surgery was a success and both donor and recipient are doing well. Flood’s daughters started their own non-profit organization to help others in need find a kidney.
Though Craiglist’s kidney deals are a little unconvential, it sure beats the old “wake up in a bathtub filled with ice-kidney heist,” don’t you think?
