Susan Van Campen

Type of Donation:       living kidney donor

Age and Location:      Age 63 - Grand Terrace, CA

Date of Transplant:           3/01/2004

Sponsor:                      Honored by OneLegacy

SUSAN’S STORY

Susan's story of donation began when she was a young mother. She was involved in what seemed like a small car accident. After suffering with pain which limited her ability to function, she received a bone graft in her spine which controlled her pain and allowed her to resume her busy life as a mom, wife, social worker, and community volunteer. She was a caring person who did her best to always help others, so it was only natural when her dad, Milton, became sick with kidney failure that she volunteered to become his donor.

Milton was a caring man who loved to travel and play with his grandkids. But his disease was starting to interfere with those things. Susan's daughter Erin remembers, "The morning my grandfather went into surgery, he told me how grateful he was to my mom for giving him one of her kidneys. He spoke about how much he loved her and said that words could not express how much it meant to him that she was willing to do that."

Unfortunately, and tragically, there were complications and Milton did not survive the surgery. His unexpected loss dealt an incredibly painful blow to the family while Susan recovered from the surgery.

Despite the pain of grief, Susan remained inspired to care for others living through difficult circumstances. As a dialysis clinic social worker, she dedicated the final leg of her career to caring for patients experiencing the same treatments her father had once undergone. Susan joined OneLegacy as an Ambassador in 2014, where she volunteers her time to encourage others to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor, and to consider living kidney donation. Her other volunteer commitments include volunteering at eye care clinics for underserved populations, and most recently serving as President of Team SOCAL with the Transplant Games of America.

"My mother's willingness to help my grandfather is only one part of what makes her so special," reflects Susan's daughter, Erin, "What's truly impressive is the way she has turned the tragedy of his death into a new lease on life for herself and the people she loves. It motivates her to keep raising awareness for kidney disease and organ donation."