Thread: Woman's kidney donation leads to early cancer diagnosis

Woman's kidney donation leads to early cancer diagnosis

The Virginian-Pilot
© December 2, 2010
Christy McGinnity donated her kidney to a stranger this summer thinking she'd save someone's life.
Within a few months, the Norfolk woman was fighting for her own. But McGinnity's decision to donate her kidney gave her a head start.
McGinnity, 39, developed an infection after the kidney transplant surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in August. Follow-up testing revealed a dark spot on one of her lungs that had not shown up before.
She was later diagnosed with lung cancer at the Massey Cancer Center at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. She'll have surgery at VCU Medical Center this month to remove the growth.
It's a grim diagnosis - more people die of lung cancer each year than any other cancer - but the fact that it was detected this early is as unusual as it is fortunate.
"This would not have been picked up if she had not gone to Johns Hopkins for the kidney transplant," said Dr. Hans Lee, a pulmonologist at VCU Massey Cancer Center.


This girl is an old friend from years gone by.
Her ex got me into screen printing back in 83.
She told me this last night on Facebook.
She has no insurance.

Originally Posted by freecell

Brave woman, I came close but she found a match before me. No, insurance should be her less of worries. They won’t turn her down. My best to her.

Thanks free... yea, i told her that too. The money seemed to be her biggest worry, yet she seemed relunctant to give me a prognosis or personal thoughts for the longest time.
She finally said she's keeping her expectations low and hopes high.
The cancer rate has gone insane the last few years.

My heart goes out to your friend Inky. I'm glad they caught it early, but sad they had something to find. My dad died of lung cancer, so the heart is heavy on my end for items such as this.