My Kidney Transplant Story: Jeffrey Deckman

In 2022, during an appointment with my primary care doctor, I learned that my kidney function was in decline and that I would need to see a nephrologist to determine the cause.

By the end of 2023, I was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy and in December 2024, I was rushed to the hospital to have a biopsy done because my kidney function had dropped dramatically. On December 23, 2024, I was advised that a kidney transplant would be needed.

For the next few weeks, I reached out to several local hospitals in my area to find a kidney transplant program and ultimately began working with ChristianaCare in Delaware.

Before my microsite was up and running, my wife, Jen, being the amazing advocate that she is, began sharing our plea on social media.

On February 23, 2025, my wife created a flyer on Canva in search of a living donor and posted it on Facebook. The response was nothing short of a miracle! I was very fortunate to walk into my first evaluation at ChristianaCare with several people who were willing to step up and donate after seeing the post.

One of these heroes was a father that we knew socially through our kids, and another was a teacher at the local high school where my wife works. Once my microsite was active, we were able to share the listing and more potential donors were able to register.

Ironically, on March 2, my birthday, the woman who would ultimately give me another chance at life reached out to my wife. She had just seen the post on the local community Facebook site. She said that she very rarely goes on Facebook and when she did that day, our post was the first thing she saw. She immediately knew she wanted to help. She saw similarities between her family and mine—the ages of our children and where we are in our lives. She told her husband, “He needs to see his kids graduate.”

I was blown away that a complete stranger was willing to step up and be my living donor!

Throughout the process, she kept us in the loop through Facebook Messenger and via text. In August, she sent my wife a text simply stating, “Let’s do this!!!” My wife replied, “Please tell me what I think you’re telling me!” She told us that she was approved and scheduled for surgery. Now that the procedure was scheduled for November, we decided to meet in person.

As my wife and I drove to meet my donor for the first time in September, I felt incredibly nervous. I just hoped I was able to express my appreciation and gratitude to this person who was so willing to do this selfless act.

I received my transplant on November 11, 2025, and my recovery has been great. I was in the hospital for only four days and since I’ve come home, I have had almost no pain. Just a little bit of discomfort here and there, but ultimately it has been a very easy process.

My overall experience of receiving a living donor transplant has sparked something in not just me but my “Kidney Team.” Since my transplant, my family and my living donor’s family have actively pursued sharing our story together to help spread the need for living kidney donors and how social media can be an effective tool in someone’s search. We have appeared on our local CBS news station, been interviewed via the phone for articles, and have even had a local sports writer cover our shared experience after hearing about it.

About the Author

Jeff Deckman is a sales professional and lives in Maryland with his wife, Jen, and their two children. He enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, and playing Airsoft.