Published October 26, 2015
A Maine man who responded to a plea for a kidney donation that he saw painted on a car window said Monday that the surgery is scheduled for next week.
Joshua Dall-Leighton of Windham said the surgery will take place June 16 at Maine Medical Center in Portland. Hospital spokeswoman Susan Pierter did not immediately return phone messages from The Associated Press seeking confirmation that the surgery was on.
Dall-Leighton responded to the plea for a donor on South Portland resident Christine Royles' car. But the surgery was delayed by medical and legal hurdles, including crowdsourced donations to Dall-Leighton aimed at defraying his expenses.
Hospital officials said they needed time to determine if the donations violated the National Organ Transplant Act, which forbids potential donors from profiting from a donation. A crowdfunding website set up for the donation has raised more than $49,000. Maine Medical Center spokesman Matt Paul said in April that the hospital remained optimistic it would "be in a position to perform a successful operation."
Dall-Leighton, a corrections officer, said he's not nervous about the procedure. Royles is suffering from kidney failure.
"I'm excited for her to get her life back and her son to have his mom," Dall-Leighton said. "I just hope it works, that's the only thing I'm nervous about."
Royles didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Dall-Leighton said the two are in contact via phone and social media and have seen each other a couple of times in the last few months.
The crowdfunding website says Royles is "healthy enough to have the transplant."
https://www.foxnews.com/health/maine-donor-who-saw-plea-on-car-window-says-kidney-transplant-okd-for-next-week