Karon Barksdale recently found herself at the center of a celebration two decades in the making.
Surrounded by family, friends and members of her care team, she marked the 20th anniversary of a life-changing moment: her kidney transplant at Henry Ford Health.
What made the milestone even more meaningful was not just the longevity of the transplant -- which remains successful after 20 years -- but everything it made possible.
For Barksdale, the decision to pursue a transplant was deeply personal, rooted in one simple goal: being present for her daughter.
“One of the biggest things was, I wanted to be OK for her. I didn’t feel bad before the transplant, but I was extremely tired.”
At the time, her daughter Kelli was in kindergarten. As a teacher herself, Barksdale was familiar with exhaustion. But what she was experiencing was something different -- the kind of fatigue that signals something deeper.
A difficult summer -- and a turning point
Before her transplant, Barksdale spent months undergoing dialysis -- a period she describes as one of the hardest chapters for her family.
“The summer I did dialysis was very difficult for us. I had an open port for dialysis, so I couldn’t go swimming, couldn’t do long vacations… I just wanted to be there for Kelli,” she recalled.
Daily life became restricted. Simple joys like travel, time outdoors and spontaneity were put on hold.
But one thing never wavered: the support surrounding her.
“The waiting room was full of people on the day of surgery. I mean full of people! Having a life with friends and family... it’s been everything.”
A sister’s decision that changed everything
The transplant became possible because of a living donor: her sister, Kristi.
At first, Kristi admitted, she didn’t fully understand what the process would entail, or that she would ultimately be the match.
“I really had no understanding of what being a kidney donor was. When she said she needed it, I said, ‘Oh, test me!’ I honestly didn’t think I would match her. She commented at the party that we’re so different. For some reason we thought if we looked different, I wasn’t going to be a match, but I was. I’m going to honestly tell you, I was hoping my other sister would match because frankly, I was scared. But when they came back and said I was almost a perfect match, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to do it.”
That decision -- made in a moment of uncertainty -- would go on to shape decades of shared experiences.
The moments that followed
Because of the transplant, Barksdale was able to show up for the milestones that matter most.
She watched her daughter graduate high school, earn a college degree and begin her career. She became an aunt to her sister’s children, and later, a “surrogate grandma” to the next generation.
Kristi has witnessed those moments firsthand.
“She’s very short, but she’s a little bundle of energy. And the fact that she worked with those kids for so long and raised her own child by herself -- I was there when she retired from Detroit Schools, and it was kind of special to see that she finally got to that point.”
Beyond the celebrations, the transplant also meant being present during life’s most difficult moments.
“She was around for a lot of good things, but we held each other’s hands through the tough stuff too.”
A transplant that stood the test of time
While Barksdale has faced additional health challenges, including the removal of one of her native kidneys and a serious battle with COVID-19, her transplanted kidney continues to function, an uncommon outcome two decades later.
At her anniversary celebration, two physicians who played a role in that journey were also present:
- Dr. Marwan Abouljoud, who performed the transplant and now serves as director of the transplant program
- Dr. Jason Denny, who facilitated the donor procedure and now leads the Center for Living Donation
Both remain part of the same health system that helped change Barksdale’s life -- a full-circle moment that reflects the lasting relationships often formed through transplant care.
The ripple effect of one decision
For Kristi, the impact of donation goes far beyond the operating room.
It lives in everyday moments like birthdays, graduations and family gatherings, and in the simple fact of time shared.
When asked what she would tell someone considering becoming a donor, her answer is immediate.
“Absolutely, hands down, do it. The idea that you can actually save someone’s life without losing yours and be here to watch them grow and prosper and flourish is still kind of unbelievable to me.”
A life measured in moments
Twenty years after her transplant, Barksdale’s story is not just about survival, it’s about presence.
It’s about the classroom years she continued teaching, the milestones she witnessed, the family she remained part of and the countless ordinary days that might not have been possible otherwise.
What began as a medical procedure became something far greater: a chance to keep showing up.
And two decades later, that very well could be the most meaningful outcome of all.
Learn more about the kidney transplant program at Henry Ford Health.