Man Responds To Newspaper Ad For Kidney
Man Says His Faith Told Him To Help
Posted: 7:58 am CST January 3, 2003
MADISON -- A 5-year-old who received a new kidney last week is recuperating -- so is the donor who found out about the girl's disease through an ad, placed by her parents.University of Wisconsin Hospital spokeswoman Janet Cooper said Friday afternoon that there were no complications during the kidney transplant surgery for young Angela Rushford.
The kidney was a gift from a total stranger -- David Harper, of Mount Morris, Ill.Angela's parents placed the ad in a Rockford newspaper saying their daughter needed a kidney. She has polycystic renal failure, which causes cysts to grow on the kidneys.Harper answered the call, saying he had always planned to donate his organs after his death.
"She's got her whole life to go, I mean, my life is half over, but she's 4 years old," he said. "She's got at least 70 years. Why not let her enjoy a long healthy life?"He says his faith called him to help the little girl."I've never met anyone to do this just for us -- out of love and everything to help our daughter, he's the greatest," Angela's mom, Betty Rushford, said.Harper, 38, said he never read the Rock River Times before seeing the ad. He only picked it up to check out the classifieds.He told the Rockford Register Star that he hopes the media attention will teach others around the world about the benefit of organ donation."I agreed to do this because I hope it will change someone's life," Harper said. "I hope they will see this and sign the back of their driver's license."Angela's father, Tony Rushford, told the newspaper, "This guy is going to save lives all over the world."Angela and Harper will probably stay in the hospital for a week to 10 days.Online ResourcesUW Health Organ Transplant Web site -- info., events, resources Wiscosin Donor Network Organ Donor fact sheet from WisDOT
The kidney was a gift from a total stranger -- David Harper, of Mount Morris, Ill.Angela's parents placed the ad in a Rockford newspaper saying their daughter needed a kidney. She has polycystic renal failure, which causes cysts to grow on the kidneys.Harper answered the call, saying he had always planned to donate his organs after his death."She's got her whole life to go, I mean, my life is half over, but she's 4 years old," he said. "She's got at least 70 years. Why not let her enjoy a long healthy life?"He says his faith called him to help the little girl."I've never met anyone to do this just for us -- out of love and everything to help our daughter, he's the greatest," Angela's mom, Betty Rushford, said.Harper, 38, said he never read the Rock River Times before seeing the ad. He only picked it up to check out the classifieds.He told the Rockford Register Star that he hopes the media attention will teach others around the world about the benefit of organ donation."I agreed to do this because I hope it will change someone's life," Harper said. "I hope they will see this and sign the back of their driver's license."Angela's father, Tony Rushford, told the newspaper, "This guy is going to save lives all over the world."Angela and Harper will probably stay in the hospital for a week to 10 days.Online ResourcesUW Health Organ Transplant Web site -- info., events, resources Wiscosin Donor Network Organ Donor fact sheet from WisDOT Copyright 2007 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
