The Reluctant Donor

The only sibling with healthy kidneys, Suzanne is ambivalent about donating a kidney to a sister she’s not even sure she likes. The Reluctant Donor exposes Suzanne’s doubts, raw fear, and strong Irish Catholic family history. Her terror at the prospect of surgery is offset by her wonder at the small miracles that surround her. Inspired by her faith and the courage of those who came before her, Suzanne navigates uncertainty with humor and honesty.

My driver’s license says I am an organ donor. It sounds good in theory, and it makes me feel like a good person. However, if I were put in the situation of being the only person who could save someone’s life, I imagine I would go through the same emotions that the character went through.

This book was filled with emotion, but it also contains some humor. I remember a scene where Suzanne and her husband are shopping for a bike at the husband’s insistence. Suzanne is distraught about the decision of donating a kidney. The husband responds, You don’t have to decide about giving a kidney today, just about a bike, so get on the bike. It was so funny that I shared it with my husband. Weeks later, my husband would periodically remark, “Just get on the bike.”

Suzanne is so worried about making the kidney decision. She does not even want a new bike. And the husband just wants a silly bike for his wife. The way he helps her cope through the book, and the salesman’s reaction, are great humor pieces that keep the serious nature of this book from becoming too heavy.

I very much enjoyed proofreading this manuscript!