Man radically changes his lifestyle to donate a kidney and save his wife after 27 years together: “The greatest gift of love”
Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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- Kennus Gowans changed his diet, exercised more and lost more than 9 kilograms after doctors initially rejected him as a kidney donor because of high blood pressure.
- A second round of tests found him to be a perfect match for his wife, Jennifer, whose kidney function had fallen to 15% after years of chronic disease and dialysis.
- Doctors successfully transplanted Kennus’s left kidney into Jennifer, and both were reported to be recovering well in hospital.
Kennus Gowans had already been rejected as a kidney donor for his wife when he quietly set himself a new goal: to change enough to pass the tests a second time. He altered his diet, became more active and lost more than nine kilograms. When he returned for testing in May, doctors found not only that he could donate, but that he was a perfect match for Jennifer.
Ultimately, my blood pressure was too high.
The couple from Texas had been married for 26 years and together for nearly 27. Jennifer’s kidneys had deteriorated progressively over 15 years. For the past three and a half years, she had lived with chronic kidney disease and performed peritoneal dialysis at home in Fort Worth every day. Her kidney function had fallen to just 15%, making a transplant her only chance to leave the daily treatments behind.
Kennus first underwent donor testing in 2023, but doctors ruled him out because his blood pressure was too high. “I didn’t tell her, but my secret goal was to take the test again,” he told WFAA. The second result brought tears. “Of course I cried like a baby,” he said.
I didn’t tell her, but my secret goal was to take the test again.
Jennifer described the match as “a blessing from God” and compared it to winning the lottery. Soon after speaking with WFAA, the couple went into separate operating rooms, where doctors successfully transplanted Kennus’s left kidney into Jennifer. “It is the greatest gift of love that anyone can give someone, and I am extremely grateful for it,” Jennifer said.
It is the greatest gift of love that anyone can give someone, and I am extremely grateful for it.
Kennus linked the donation to the wedding vows they made decades ago, including promises to remain together “in good times and bad, in wealth and poverty, in sickness and in health.” The couple, who describe themselves as best friends, planned to spend several days recovering in hospital before their next anniversary in April.
In good times and bad, in wealth and poverty, in sickness and in health.
About this summary
Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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