A Stranger’s Gift: The Kidney Transplant That Changed Everything
When you meet Logan Thaxton, it’s hard to imagine all he’s been through. At 15, he’s full of life — laughing, cracking jokes, dancing around the house like any teenager. But for most of his life, Logan was quietly battling a complex kidney and bladder condition. What happened next, thanks to a stranger’s selfless choice and the expert care at the OU Health Transplant Institute, changed everything.
A Lifelong Battle
Logan was born with hydronephrosis, a condition where a blockage in the urinary tract causes the kidneys to swell and become damaged over time. But for two long years, no one could figure out what was wrong.
“He was just crying all the time,” Logan’s mom Nickia recalled. “We kept going from doctor to doctor, trying to figure it out.”
By the time he was finally diagnosed at age 2, his bladder had stretched to twice the size of an adult’s, and his kidneys were damaged. From that point on, Logan had to be catheterized multiple times a day to drain his bladder and prevent his kidneys from declining further.
When Logan was 13, his condition worsened.
“We knew that Logan would need a new kidney at some stage,” said Nickia, “but we thought it would be in his later teenage years. The day after he turned 14, the doctors told us that in order to delay dialysis, Logan would need a new kidney.”
Kidney Transplant Options
Kidneys for transplant can come from either a living donor or a deceased donor, and both options can be lifesaving.
A living donor is someone — often a family member, a friend, or even a generous stranger — who chooses to donate one of their kidneys while they are alive. This type of donation has several benefits:
- The surgery can be planned in advance
- The kidney usually starts working right away
- The kidney often lasts longer
A deceased donor is someone who has passed away and chosen to donate their organs. These kidneys are matched to recipients on a waiting list. While the wait can be longer, this type of donation increases the overall number of kidneys available.
Both types of donations are vital, and each has its own advantages. The best option depends on the recipient’s health, timing, and available matches.
A Campaign of Hope
Determined to find a living donor and avoid dialysis, Logan’s family launched a campaign to spread the word. With the support of their employer, and a compassionate community, they created T-shirts, distributed flyers, and placed car decals across town.
“I went to town on social media,” Nickia said. “People were walking around in Logan’s shirts, putting decals on their cars, helping us get the word out from Tulsa to Oklahoma City. People on Facebook across the nation were changing their profile pictures to the Team Logan logo.”
OU Health became their second home. The drive from their home in Foyil, Oklahoma to OU Health is 2.5 hours, and the family made the trip twice a week.
A Quiet Resolve
Meanwhile, someone was paying close attention. Hannah Noyes-Barnes, a care coordinator working in behavioral health for the same employer as Nickia, had noticed the car decals. On January 7, she opened a company-wide email requesting a kidney donor for a child with O negative blood. This time, something clicked.
“I knew I was O negative as I regularly donate blood,” said Hannah. “I felt compelled to take the next step to help the family.”
Though she didn’t know Logan or his family personally, Hannah quietly contacted the transplant coordinator at the OU Health Transplant Institute in Oklahoma City and underwent a phone screening. Although she was a potential match, her BMI was slightly too high. To move forward, she’d need to lose 25 pounds.
Rather than give up, Hannah was determined to lose weight and donate her kidney. She adjusted her diet, cut out processed foods, increased her water intake, and followed a consistent at-home exercise plan. Within eight weeks, she had lost the required weight.
In March, she traveled to the transplant clinic at OU Health for two full days of evaluation.
“I met with surgery, social work, psychology, and a chaplain,” said Hannah. “They were incredibly thorough, and by the end, I was approved.”
All the while, Hannah told no one except her husband. She didn’t even tell her children.
“It wasn’t secrecy so much as caution,” she said. “I wanted to be sure I passed every test before involving others or raising expectations.”
The Gift That Gave Everything Back
It was during a dialysis session that Nickia and Logan were given the good news. Someone was donating a kidney to Logan — a living kidney.
The surgery was scheduled for May 7. Hannah and her husband traveled to Oklahoma City the night before. The procedure to remove one of her kidneys took just over seven hours. Once the kidney was secured in Logan, it began functioning immediately.
When Logan’s transplant surgeon stepped into the waiting room to deliver the good news, Nickia and her family wept.
“We didn’t know who the donor was,” she said. “We were just told it was a living donor who wanted to remain anonymous. It wasn’t until later that I found out it had been Hannah all along. I cried all over again.”
Hannah reached out personally after the surgery to let Nickia know.
“It was emotional but beautiful,” Nickia said. “She didn’t know us, but she gave our boy a second chance. I’ll never stop being grateful.”
Recovering From Donor Surgery
OU Health Transplant surgeons use robot assisted laparoscopic surgical techniques for living donors. For the donor this means:
- Significantly less pain
- Faster return to daily activities
- Minimal blood loss and reduced need for transfusions
- Decreased post operative discomfort compared to traditional surgery
- Shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery
Hannah’s recovery was steady. She had five small incisions and was walking within days. She returned to light activity within five weeks and expects to be back at work soon.
To Logan and his family, Hannah is a hero, and they thank God for her selfless act.
“I don’t feel heroic,” Hannah said. “I just feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to help. If you can give someone a second chance at life, you definitely should.”
Life Restored
Today, Logan is thriving. The difference is visible — not just in his energy, but in his personality. He’s smiling, dancing, and making jokes again, Nickia shared, and even better, the pain and fatigue are gone.
Hannah and Nickia have become firm friends, and the experience has changed their lives.
“I would donate 40 more kidneys if I had them,” laughed Hannah. “If you are able to help someone in a life-altering way, and you’re healthy enough to do it safely, then why not? I understood the risks, I prepared as thoroughly as I could, and I had the support of my family. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity.”
Currently, about 90,000 people are on the waitlist for a kidney transplant, but only around 25% receive one each year, while more patients continue to be added. Tragically, approximately 5,000 people die annually while waiting. For those who remain on dialysis without a transplant, the five-year life expectancy is only 40% to 50%, and the treatment imposes significant lifestyle limitations. In contrast, receiving a kidney from a living donor offers the best chance for a high-quality organ, the shortest wait time, and significantly improved life expectancy after the transplant.
Nickia’s message to people holding off on kidney donation is simple, “You’re not just saving one life. You’re changing a whole family’s future.”
OU Health Transplant Institute
Extraordinary outcomes don’t happen in isolation. It was the selfless bravery of an anonymous donor who stepped up, and OU Health’s transplant team that gave Logan a second chance at life.
The OU Health Transplant Institute has a dedicated and highly trained team of surgeons, nephrologists, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, and nurse coordinators who work tirelessly to ensure safe and good outcomes for living donors. They combine world-class medical expertise with compassion, working hard to give patients like Logan a chance to thrive.
Learn more about transplant services and kidney care at OU Health Transplant Institute. Call (572) 244-0060 to speak with a specialist, or email living.donor@ouhealth.com for inquiries about living donation.
