News Anchor’s Selfless Kidney Donation Sparks Hope for Michigan Mom – FREE READ

By: Jessica DeWeese | jessica@newsblues.com

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Jennifer VanderPoel, a resilient mother from Grand Rapids and former assistant professor, endured five long years on Michigan’s cadaver kidney transplant waitlist.

Her life became a draining routine of dialysis three nights a week, keeping her alive but leaving her emotionally and physically depleted. Adding to her struggles, six scheduled transplant surgeries were canceled due to unforeseen issues, including illnesses and donor mismatches.

“The most recent one was my hairdresser’s boyfriend,” VanderPoel said, reflecting on the emotional toll of donors unable to follow through.

Despite these setbacks, she clung to hope. “I’m just trying to pray and hold on… that someday I’ll get a kidney.”

Her story took a remarkable turn in February 2023 when Teresa Weakley, news anchor at WOOD TV8, Nexstar’s NBC affiliate in Grand Rapids, learned about VanderPoel’s plight during a casual chat at Chuck E. Cheese, said the station.

Weakley discovered that her friend’s husband had tried to donate a kidney to VanderPoel but couldn’t.

The story lingered with her, and she felt an inexplicable need to act. “That conversation, it just stayed with me,” Weakley recalled. “I’ve known people who’ve needed kidneys before and never felt this urge. This feeling must be for a reason.”

After finding VanderPoel’s donor search webpage, Weakley decided to explore donating herself. Her connection to lupus—the disease that caused VanderPoel’s kidney failure at age 13—made her decision deeply personal.

Weakley’s grandmother had died from lupus, and she considered how giving someone more time with their family might be the ultimate gift. T

hough she wasn’t a direct match for VanderPoel, Weakley learned about the National Kidney Registry’s voucher program, which allows donors to help strangers in exchange for a matching kidney for their intended recipient.

In December 2023, after months of preparation, Weakley underwent surgery to donate her kidney.

Her husband, Joe, initially questioned the decision but eventually supported her, recognizing its significance. Weakley’s kidney was transported from Grand Rapids to Seattle, saving the life of a woman she would never meet.

Reflecting a week after the surgery, Weakley had no regrets: “Not even a tiny bit.”

Through the voucher program, VanderPoel was matched with a donor from Washington named Kelly, who had donated a kidney to secure a voucher for a loved one.

In October 2024, VanderPoel finally received her life-saving transplant. “This gift of life has been such a miracle,” she said, energized by her renewed health. “The day I got home, I had so much energy. I was cooking and cleaning.”

Weeks later, VanderPoel met both donors—Weakley and Kelly—via Zoom.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, she thanked them for their extraordinary generosity. “You are such a blessing. You gave me literal life,” she said.

Weakley highlighted the importance of raising awareness about living organ donation and the voucher program, expressing hope that more people would consider donating.