SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The wait is over for a Seminole County deputy who needed a new kidney to save his life, thanks to an eight-person, cross-country kidney exchange.
Seminole County deputy Blayne Badura had been in need of a transplant since December, after suffering from kidney disease for years.
Oviedo police officer Bobby Draughon decided to step in and offer his kidney, but he wasn’t a match
[ Raw: Doctors and deputy discuss 8-person kidney transplant ]
That’s when the pair exchange came into play.
The exchange allowed Draughon to donate to others across the country in need—which ultimately gave Badura his kidney.
It came from a 26-year-old Lauren Gue, of Winter Springs.
She was trying to donate to her mother, but also faced challenges.
“It’s honestly humbling to know that I’ve impacted more than just my mom’s life,” she said.
“I think we are all blessed for Bobby and Lauren, and for all of the other donors,” Badura said
Draughon’s kidney traveled from Florida to someone in the Pacific Northwest, but the chain started with a donor in the southeast.