Scott and Kim Meyer share their kidney recipient stories on the steps of Springfield City Hall.
Reminder Publishing photo by Ryan Feyre
SPRINGFIELD — Scott and Kim Meyer met a little over a decade ago at Baystate Medical Center while they were both undergoing serious kidney dialysis treatments.
At the time, life felt hopeless.
“We were on different shifts, and he didn’t want to stay on dialysis anymore,” Kim said, regarding Scott’s mindset. “He was going to quit, and he was just going to let go.”
Their fortunes, however, would turn around thanks to a family’s lifesaving goodwill. Scott received a call to head up to the third floor of Baystate where he was told that he would finally receive a kidney transplant thanks to a deceased organ donor from another family.
“Every day, I thank that family in prayer for giving him a kidney,” Kim said.
Because of that family’s heroism, Scott and Kim were able to get married and see their children and grandchildren grow up. Almost 13 years after they met in the hospital, the lovers have joyously celebrated their eighth grandchild.
“You know, we’re not only living our life, but we’re living our life for the person who gave up their life so we can live,” Kim said. “Because of those heroes, we were able to get married and see our children grow up.”
That type of organ transplant story is one of thousands throughout New England and Massachusetts, according to Matthew Boger, the director of government relations at New England Donor Services, a nonprofit organization that coordinates organ and tissue donation in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, the eastern counties of Vermont and Bermuda.
Boger gathered with Kim and Scott, as well as city officials and other organ donor recipients at City Hall on April 15 to celebrate National Donate Life Month.
The yearly event occurred during a time when NEDS received a record number of life-saving deceased donor organ donations and transplants in its New England service area for the fourth consecutive year.
In 2024, NEDS coordinated organ donations from 648 deceased donors resulting in 1,570 life-saving transplants. According to the organization, this record level of clinical activity places NEDS among the nation’s top three organ procurement organizations by donor volume nationwide.
“The idea of getting your heart on your license, providing hope to the thousands of individuals waiting for a life-saving transplant is truly a miracle,” Boger said.
Despite these major breakthroughs, organ donation is still very rare. According to Boger, only 3% of all deaths have an opportunity to save a life through organ donation and over 100,000 people are on the national transplant waiting list to receive an organ.
One of those people on the list is Kim, who said the kidney disease she has is hereditary and affected one of her daughters.
“When my time comes [for a transplant], I will thank that family and think about them,” Kim said.
With some having to wait eight to 10 years for an organ, city and state officials celebrated National Donate Life Month by encouraging individuals across the state to register as organ donors.
State Sen. Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) emphasized the importance and ease of becoming an organ donor and shared how he himself found a “second chance” at life a few years ago after receiving a kidney from a local Springfield family.
An organ donor himself, Gomez said he spent his time in the line at the Registry of Motor Vehicles talking to people about the life-saving nature of becoming one.
“We have to break the stigma,” Gomez said. “We have to let individuals know that becoming an organ donor, you don’t know whose life you’re going to save.”
At the April 15 ceremony, Gomez, state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez (D-Springfield) and Mayor Domenic Sarno read proclamations that marked April as National Donate Life Month and celebrated those who made organ donation possible.
“Registering as an organ donor is an act of compassion that could save up to eight lives,” Sarno said. “So, when you’re renewing your license, show your heart, give your heart and do it.”
Readers can learn more about NEDS and registering as an organ donor by visiting the NEDS website, neds.org, and Registry of Motor Vehicles website, tinyurl.com/msbth8zh
