Organ Donor Becomes Best Friends with Stranger Who Received Her Kidney: 'Most Amazing Journey'

Jason Duaine Hahn
·6 min read

For best friends Breanna Sipple and Erin Francis, their bond began with a life-saving gesture made when they were only strangers.

The two are behind the Instagram page Team BeMore, which serves as a hub for organ donors, recipients and people in need of a transplant.

The friends were inspired to start the page after Sipple donated her kidney to Francis after seeing a social media post Francis’ husband Rich had written about her needing a life-saving transplant, according to WPVI. At the time, the did not know each other.

Francis, who was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease when she was 4, found out the disease had advanced into stage 5 kidney failure in 2016. She was in desperate need of a kidney donor, and she and her family turned to Facebook for help.

That’s when Sipple came across the post detailing what Francis was facing.

“Something just came over me, and I was just like, crying and I knew that I was this person’s donor,” Sipple told WPVI.

Unbeknownst to Francis, Sipple volunteered to be tested to find out if she was a viable candidate, but was rejected months into the process because she had high blood pressure.

She documented the journey in an emotional video diary, which was how Francis learned that Sipple was fighting to help her.

RELATED: Mom Who Died Just Days After Giving Birth Becomes 1 in a Million Organ Donor, Fulfilling Dying Wish

View this post on Instagram

Hi guys! It’s Breanna and Erin here! We’ve had so many new followers to team be more lately (thank you✨) so we thought it would be nice to reintroduce ourselves for those who may not know us! At a very young age, Erin was diagnosed with CKD. It wasn’t until she was 24 years old that she found out she was in kidney failure and needed to begin dialysis and search for a donor. Just a month into her new marriage, her life had turned completely upside down. Her husband, Rich, made a facebook page to keep friends and family in the loop with her health & hope to find a donor. That’s where I (Breanna) come in! I saw someone share Erin’s facebook page along with her story and search for a kidney. An indescribable feeling came over my body (truly a sign from God) that told me I am this complete strangers donor and I am suppose to begin testing. When I found out I was even just her blood type I sobbed uncontrollably, I knew God had big plans for me. I began testing (unbeknownst to Erin and her family) at her original hospital. After six months of testing and at the final stage before surgical, I was turned down due to high blood pressure (come to find out later falsely diagnosed and it was just white coat syndrome/anxiety) I was devastated. I completed a video log “Be More” about my journey and posted it in hopes that people can pray for Erin and can become familiar with the living donation process and its importance. Erin, found my video from a mutual friend and reached out to me. We have been best friends ever since, an indescribable bond. We met at the gift of life donor dash months later. Flash forward a few months, Erin decided to get onto another hospitals transplant list. Without hesitation, I applied once again. We began testing immediately and not even a month later we were prepping for surgery! It was ME! I was her donor all along. The process was an emotional rollercoaster and the prep for Erin (due to antibodies) was incredibly hard. But by the glory of God, on September 12th, 2017, we had a successful surgery and my kidney began working for Erin immediately! We are now 5 months post transplant 💓 Every day is a gift, and an opportunity to BE MORE!

A post shared by BeMore (@teambemore) on Feb 22, 2018 at 3:16pm PST

It was that video that planted the seeds of their friendship.

“Even today, I think about it all the time,” Francis told WPVI. “I can’t believe someone actually wanted to do that for me.”

Despite the setback, the Sipple was not deterred, and underwent another round of testing at a different hospital. This time around, doctors said she was fit to be a donor, the outlet reported.

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Teacher Who ‘Never Thought’ He’d Be a Dad Adopts Student After Getting Him a Life-Saving Kidney

This inspiring teacher donated a kidney and then decided to adopt one of his students

The two underwent successful kidney operations in September 2017.

RELATED: Mom Bravely Shares Video of Her Daughter’s Final Moments Before 1-Year-Old Donates Her Organs

“Our journey has just begun,” they wrote in an Instagram post at the time. “We have so much more heart and encouragement to share in this world.”

There are more than 100,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list at any time in the United States, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Over 3,000 people are added to the list each month, and 13 people die each day while waiting for a transplant.

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two years ago our lives changed forever ♥️ I woke up at 3 am, put on my “it’s a beautiful day to save lives shirt” and embarked to Jefferson Hospital with my family. I was oddly calm, a sense of peace was within my heart. I couldn’t wait to see Erin. They called me back from the waiting room and the doors opened to start getting prepped. There she was, my future kidney sister. We ran to each other and cried as we hugged. It was finally the day. Even the pre op nurses were crying. Time stood still for a second. Both of our families filled the waiting rooms for what felt like the longest time ever. They bonded as they were becoming one family by the gift of life. Awaiting the phone calls from the surgery rooms with updates. One by one the phone calls came. Breanna is in surgery. Erin is being prepped. Kidney was out of Breanna and on its way to Erin. Erin is in surgery. KIDNEY IS WORKING 💚♻️ We did it! I’ll never forget the moment I walked to see Erin the day after surgery. It was a memory that I’ll cherish until the day I die. Love you so much, kidney sister. Cheers to two years dialysis free 💚♻️ #thegiftoflife #kidneytransplant #livingdonor #ckd #donatelife #bemore

A post shared by BeMore (@teambemore) on Sep 12, 2019 at 9:29am PDT

There is also a need for other organ transplants, and volunteering to become a living — or deceased — donor can help many in need.

About 20 people die per day awaiting organ transplants, according to the American Transplant Foundation, and there are over 114,000 people currently on the waiting list to receive a life-saving organ. One donor can save up to eight lives, the foundation says, and can save or enhance the lives of a hundred others.

“It’s okay to be scared,” Sipple told WPVI. “But it’s going to be the most amazing journey of your entire life. So, take the leap.”