State Rep. Anne Hughes Raises Awareness For Living Organ Donation

**News Release Submitted by Connecticut House Democrats**

Feb. 5, 2024

Nine years ago, State Rep. Anne Hughes (D-Easton, Redding, Weston) learned that a non-biological family member needed a kidney transplant. Rep. Hughes did not hesitate to offer one of her own as a living organ donor. She was hopeful to be a match.

"My cousin was medevacked back to the United State with her 16-year-old son, who is from Guinea and was in late-stage kidney failure, so I met them at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington and thought I could be a match even though we're not biologically related," said Rep. Hughes.

Rep. Hughes and her cousin's son both had the same A-positive blood type.

"We were going to be a match – I just knew it," Rep. Hughes said.

MedStar did a thorough screening process, and Rep. Hughes was "ready" to help someone. Living donors like her have two options:

• Direct Donation: A donor who donates his or her kidney directly to their intended recipient
• Paired Kidney Exchange: A donor who donates his or kidney to another person and their intended recipient receives a kidney from another donor

A living donor transplant can decrease the time a patient will wait to be transplanted and it can provide a better-quality organ.

"It's staggering how many people are waiting for a kidney that are on really costly and distressing dialysis, and it's keeping them alive, but it's not keeping them thriving," Rep. Hughes said.

Following the transplant on February 5, 2015, Rep. Hughes said her cousin's son is "doing really well."

"We’ve gone nine years with great results," she said.

With National Donor Day coming up on February 14, Rep. Hughes said she wants to inspire as many people as possible to consider being a living organ donor. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are on the national transplant waiting list because there are far more people who need transplants than organs available, and 85% of people waiting need a kidney. Organ donation surgery is low risk, so most living donors resume active, healthy lives.

"When you have the opportunity to save someone's life, the rest of your life is gravy, it's all bonus, you've achieved an amazing goal," Rep. Hughes said.

For Rep. Hughes part of her bonus was being elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2018 and subsequently helping pass the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act in 2019, which was critical legislation for any potential living organ donor.

"That legislation ensures donor recipients and organ donors are covered for pre-donation medical appointments, surgery and recovery," Rep. Hughes said.