A Rapid City mother donates kidney to son - KOTA Territory News
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A mother's love has no end or limit. One of KOTA Territory News' own, Kelly Cowherd, found that out when his mother stepped up to donate the gift he needed most: a kidney.
Kelly spends part of his time working as a production assistant at our station; the other part, in dialysis.
"If you have a day off from work that's three hours of your day sitting in a chair and you're not running around with your friends or at work," Kelly said.
Kelly has a blood disorder, along with celiac's disease. He was diagnosed as a child.
"At the time he was diagnosed we didn't know there could be such serious repercussions,' said Kelly's mother Jean.
In 2006, doctors told a then 31–year old Kelly he needed a kidney donation. He would have five to seven years max.
"They're still running," said Kelly. "They're just not 100%."
After a failed attempt of what appeared to be perfect match Kelly was without a donor.
"The kidney itself was fine but the connections to it were a little off," said Kelly.
That's when his mother, Jean, stepped up.
"If I could do something to help him that will make him physically better I will do it," said Jean.
Kelly and his mother jean underwent a three hour surgery on Wednesday. The Cowherds are recovering at the Avera Transplant Institute in Sioux Falls and are expected to be released by Monday.
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