WEST DECATUR — When two families in the Moshannon Valley area gathered on Christmas morning, it was about the people around those trees, not the presents. Danielle Minarchick had already given her gift. Brooke Johns had already received hers.
“I bet you never thought you’d have a kidney on your Christmas list,” Minarchick joked, sitting at her dining room table with Johns, who grinned back.
The two women aren’t related, but are part of the close-knit church family of Calvary United Methodist in West Decatur. over the summer, events drew them closer when Johns, a Penn State student studying elementary education, started to have headaches and blurry vision.
“I saw four doctors in two days,” she said. A trip to the eye doctor ended with a nephrologist diagnosing her with end-stage renal failure. It was most amazing because she never experienced any of the other signs or symptoms that could have pointed to the problem. She soon started daily trips to Boalsburg for dialysis, and went to Penn State Hershey to be evaluated for a kidney transplant. In July, they shared a phone number with their church. if anyone wanted to be tested as a possible donor, it would start with a call.
For Minarchick, a counselor at Centre County Correctional Facility, it actually started before Johns ever got sick. Years before, her son Alex Wilkinson, now 13, was diagnosed with a progressive neurological condition, Friedrich’s ataxia. the support the family received from their church and their community made a huge difference.
“I told my husband then that I wanted to do something to give back or move it forward,” she said. When the call for donors was made, she had her chance. A blood test led to more blood tests. Confirmation of a match then led to further testing to make sure that her kidney was healthy enough for transplant, and then that she was healthy enough for surgery, which was scheduled for Dec. 21. However, until the pair were put under, they were never sure if there would be delays or cancellations.
“the not knowing was hard,” said Minarchick.
It was hard on their families, too. Minarchick’s husband, David, was supportive, but had quiet fears, even asking his mother what he would do if something happened to his wife. for Brooke’s parents, Wendy and Larry Johns, there was added pressure.
“we weren’t just worried about Brooke being alright,” said Wendy. “we didn’t want anything to happen to Danielle, either.”
Both came through the surgery fine. Minarchick was discharged on Dec. 23. Johns came home the next day, just in time for Christmas. and as they sat in the Minarchick’s decorated home, full of laughter and joking about the whole situation, it was hard to see much impact. Minarchick can’t lift energetic daughter Bella, 4, but other than that “There’s really nothing else I won’t be able to do.” She plans to go back to work as early as next week if cleared. Johns is on medication to control her immune system and rejection, but is fine with that as long as dialysis is behind her.
What they still don’t know is what might have caused Johns’ kidney failure. Medically, they might never know. But in another way, they do. She’s just as committed to passing on the support and generosity as Minarchick was.
“there has to be a reason this happened,” she said.