Annamarie Ausnes had been visiting her local Starbucks for coffee and small talk with the barista for three years. They talked about almost everything, but Ausnes never mentioned her failing health.
Ausnes, 55, who works at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, has known about her polycystic kidney disease for nearly 20 years. The genetic disorder causes numerous cysts in the kidney and eventual kidney failure. When her health suddenly declined and her kidneys were functioning at only 15 percent, she knew her only option was a transplant. Her husband and son weren’t matches. She was facing a long wait on a transplant list.
One day last autumn, she mentioned to Sandie Andersen — the barista she casually knew through her morning caffeine runs — that her kidneys were shutting down. Andersen, 51, didn’t hesitate. She had a blood test to see if she matched her customer. She did.
Tuesday morning, Andersen donated a kidney to Ausnes at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. Ausnes now has three kidneys. Surgeons said that unlike a heart transplant, her old kidneys “didn’t interfere” with the transplant and she had room for the new one.
Both women face weeks of recovery but are expected to be fine, surgeons said.
“She’s a special person and she ran into a special person,” John Ausnes said of his wife and Andersen.
Jeffrey Andersen said he admires his wife’s selflessness at wanting to help a casual acquaintance.