Friends Brought Together By Organ Donation

(Memphis) A woman gives her friend a chance at a better life by donating her kidney.

Tuesday, Mark Orris and Glenda Corwin were all smiles.

They’re both happy and healthy after going through a kidney transplant surgery 5 months ago.

“Over time, my kidneys stopped functioning,” said Orris.

For years, Mark suffered from genetic kidney failure, polycystic kidney disease, also known as PKD.

“Your kidneys get enlarged. They become infected with cysts and you have a lot of other side effects as well,” said Orris.

Mark waited for a new kidney for more than a year, while suffering every day through the painful disease, worried each day may be his last, “You never know that the day is coming, you know the day is coming you just aren`t ready for it.” 

That day would never come.

“We were at a dinner and she said, ‘Hey, if you need my kidney, ask just let me know,” said Orris.

Mark’s longtime friend and FedEx co-worker, Glenda, knew what waiting for life could be like.

Her mother suffered kidney failure years ago.

Sadly, she wasn’t a match for her mom, “I prayed if my mom could get a kidney, I would one day pay it forward,” said Corwin. Glenda’s mom did get a kidney. 14 years later, so did Mark.

“Somehow, I knew we would be a match,” said Corwin.

“A lot of people say things, only a few people do them,” said Orris.

Tuesday, when FedEx surprised her with the company’s humanitarian award, Corwin humbly said, she was just helping a friend, “Heroes are the ones coming back from war without legs and arms. Those are heroes. I’m just grateful I can do this for Mark.”

“I think of her every day,” said Orris.

“I’m so happy when I look at Mark and see how great he looks,” said Corwin.

Both families want their story to inspire people to become organ donors.

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