LANDER, Wyo.–In what is being hailed as an extraordinary example of people helping people, a credit union employee has donated a kidney to help a good friend.
As originally reported by Patti Hazlett, director of public affairs with the GoWest Credit Union Association, Khrystyn Lutz, chief risk officer at Atlantic City FCU in Lander, Wyo., donated a kidney to a recipient she doesn’t know in order to help her good friend, Krizinne Cross.
According to the report, two met in 2018 when Lutz started working at Pathfinder Federal Credit Union in Casper, Wyo., where the coworkers “clicked.”
“We both love cooking, and we are always sharing recipes back and forth,” Lutz was quoted as saying,
The report noted their friendship grew from there, even after Lutz moved to Lander, Wyo., and went to work for ACFCU in 2022.
‘Moved to Act’
Meanwhile, Cross knew from working with her medical team that she would need a kidney transplant in the near future and mentioned it to her friends at work. Lutz said she had always been interested in being a living donor, and the “plight of her good friend moved her to act.” The GWCUA report stated.
“Although my friend and I are the same blood type, further testing determined that we weren’t compatible enough genetically to do a direct donation,” Lutz told the association. “I was initially devastated – but then my coordinator told me about the Voucher Program. Through this program, I could donate my kidney to another individual in need and in exchange my friend will then be prioritized when she goes to receive a kidney from the National Kidney Registry (NKR). Essentially, my donation bumps her up on the registry.”
Two-Year Process
The GWCUA noted that while the decision to help her friend was an easy one, the process from there was not, with the journey taking almost two years.
“The approval process is very thorough. It involves physical exams, lab tests, screenings, imaging, and a psychological evaluation,” Lutz told the GWCUA.
Lutz did her testing and eventual surgery at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, where Cross has also been receiving care.
Khrystyn’s surgery was on June 10, and typical recovery is six weeks. She told the GWCUA she’s now, “feeling back to normal now, the same as I did prior to the surgery.”
Support From Coworkers
“My ACFCU team supported me through the whole process – while recovering they made sure to check-in frequently and the team made a special sign for me during an all-staff training that I had to miss,” Lutz told the association. “They even brought restaurant gift cards by my house to ensure I could rest without having to worry about preparing meals. I could not ask for a better team and I am thankful every day to work with such compassionate people.”
ACFCU President and CEO Brian Rohrbacher, added, “Khrystyn demonstrated true unselfishness in its purest form by generously donating one of her kidneys to help a former colleague and friend. This true act of kindness demonstrates putting someone else’s health and well-being before your own while expecting nothing in return. This generous donation will not only change the beneficiary’s life but their family’s life.”
Awaiting a Transplant
Cross, meanwhile is doing well for now, but she still needs a transplant, the report noted.
Lutz said that while she didn’t know the recipient of her kidney, she was told that the surgery was a success for them.
“I am so thankful that I was healthy enough to be able to donate and help my friend get closer to receiving a kidney,” Lutz told the GWCUA. “Deciding to donate a kidney doesn’t feel like a ‘big deal’ when you consider that someone else gets to be here longer with their family and friends because of your donation. One of the transplant nurses after my surgery said it best: ‘Someone out there was planning the end of their life, and now thanks to your donation, they are planning their new beginning instead.’ In hindsight, I would absolutely make the decision to donate again and again.”
A ’Step in the Journey’
According to the GWCUA, Lutz sees the process as a step in her journey to help others. She plans to stay in the credit union movement for her career.
“Working in a credit union where you are helping people day-in, day-out is very rewarding,” Lutz said. “Even for non-member facing roles like my own, I am still supporting the credit union so that our team can serve more and more people and help them achieve their financial dreams.”