In 2018, Santa Clarita resident Nathalie De received a kidney donated by Terri Miller, another Santa Clarita resident. One year after the surgery, KHTS checked in with De and Miller to see how they are recovering.

The two women celebrated the year anniversary of their surgery together over dinner on Thursday.

“It was beautiful celebrating one year,” said De. “Just thinking about everything that happened, I’m glad that she decided to donate.  Everything worked out and I am doing well, and she is too.”

Miller echoed De’s sentiments, both women reveling in the newfound friendship that the two have built over the past year.

“We’ve become wonderful friends,” said Miller. “It’s been a great bonus.”

Related: Santa Clarita Mother Seeking Kidney Transplant Meets Potential Donor

Miller and De had never met before Miller approached to offer her kidney for donation in 2018, a decision that De and her children found incredibly touching.

“We call each other sister,” said De. “We spend time and talk and think about what we can do to help other people.”

Both women have recently seen their doctors for their one-year medical follow-ups, and say that everything is looking good.

“It’s been a fast year, thank goodness,” said Miller.

De’s journey began in 2002, when she discovered that her father had been diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, a disorder with no known cure.

De learned that her father would need dialysis to support his failing kidney and eventually a kidney transplant if he was a candidate. Although she was determined to help her father, De soon found out that she herself had inherited the disease.

A widowed mother of four, De decided to share her story with KHTS Radio, revealing the hardships and struggles of battling her disease while keeping up with the responsibilities of raising her four children on her own.

Miller had never met De before, but when she saw a post on the KHTS Facebook page, she decided to try and become De’s donor.

“From a donor’s standpoint it has been a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend it,” said Miller. “The little bit of work you have to put in greatly outweighs whatever you go through with the surgery.”

Miller and De credit community support for their ability to be able to meet, especially when it came to getting the word out about De’s predicament.

First meeting/live interview

Both Miller and De had messages for those who are considering donating their kidney in the future.

“It was a very hard decision to make because it’s an organ that you donated. Not something that is easy, you have to look at all the aspects,” said De. “People who want to donate, they will change so many lives by doing that gesture, and they can live with one kidney.”

De went on to state that it was entirely possible to live a successful and fulfilling life with only one kidney, and that the donor screening process was very careful to protect both donors and receivers.

“For someone who is on dialysis, do not lose hope and put the word out there. If it wasn’t for the radio station, Terri wouldn’t have heard about it,” said De. “‘If it wasn’t for the radio station, I wouldn’t have had a kidney.”

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.