September 9, 2024
Dianna Havin and Linda Keehn are both retired nurses who love to sew together. Havin gave her kidney anonymously to Keehn in 2021. Photo by Su-Ling Goh.
Dianna Havin gives two thumbs up after donating her left kidney in 2021. Photo courtesy of Dianna Havin.
Story & photo by Su-Ling Goh
EDMONTON — A retired nurse who donated her kidney anonymously has received a gift herself; a surprising new friendship. It turns out she and her recipient have much more in common than a matching kidney.
Dianna Havin was inspired to donate a kidney in the 1980s when she watched a transplant surgery in England while working as an operating room nurse.
“I just thought that (transplant) was the coolest thing ever. We all just stood around with tears in our eyes because it was just so moving,” recalls Havin.
“And I had a little thought, like ‘Wouldn’t that be cool to donate?’”
The Edmontonian’s opportunity finally arrived in 2021. After nearly two years of medical and psychological testing (slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic), Havin became an anonymous kidney donor.
“There’s lots of people needing kidneys so (the medical team asked) if I’d like to donate anonymously to anyone in Canada,” says Havin.
“I didn’t know who was getting my kidney and I really didn’t mind. Whoever needed it could have it.”
Shortly before her surgery, Havin asked the surgeon to pass along a letter to her recipient.
“(In the letter), I just said, ‘There’s no pressure (to meet). I wish you well, I hope your recovery is good. I’ve enclosed a couple of tea bags because I live on tea — and if you have some tea, your kidney will feel right at home’,” says Havin, with a laugh.
The recipient of that letter, and of Havin’s left kidney, says the message made her cry after her own surgery.
“The way (the letter) was written, I could tell this person was special,” says Linda Keehn.
“The tea (the donor) sent was Tetley (brand) and it just made me smile because my family has a direct connection to Ralph Tetley from100 years ago It was a little bond that was special.”
After exchanging a few anonymous letters over a year, coordinated by the Give Life Alberta program, the women both agreed to meet. That’s when they discovered they shared a lot more than a love of tea.
Both Havin, 62, and Keehn, 74, are retired nurses living in Edmonton. Both graduated from the Royal Alexandra Hospital School of Nursing and worked in the same operating rooms. Each has a son and a daughter, a passion for their grandkids and the same hobby: sewing and quilting.
“It was meant to be, absolutely,” says Keehn of their instant connection.
“We both had never worked together because she’s younger, I’m older, but just the fact that we had both walked those same (Royal Alexandra Hospital) corridors and performed those same jobs, that’s just amazing.”
Havin adds: “I couldn’t have picked anyone better.
“Why wouldn’t you want to help another fellow nurse or fellow helper … another good human?”
Keehn was diagnosed with renal vasculitis in 2016. After five years of nausea, weakness and exhausting dialysis treatments three times a week, she is now free to travel and spend as much time as possible with family and friends — including her newest friend, Havin. The duo shop for fabric and sew together, and meet for dinners with their husbands.
“Today I just found out Dianna likes to do puzzles! That’s just crazy to me because I love doing puzzles,” says Keehn. “And we’re like a puzzle. Our pieces just fit together… It’s a gift that I am very humbled by.”
Havin smiles: “It’s just a priceless, priceless experience.”
To learn more about organ and tissue donation, including living donation, visit www.GiveLifeAlberta.ca.
National Living Donation Week runs Sept. 8 to 14.
