Five years ago, Rinat Kara was eight months pregnant with twins when she learned that her husband, Meir, urgently needed a kidney donor. She did not hesitate. If someone had to help him, she believed she should be the first to try.There was, however, a major obstacle. Rinat weighed around 130 kilograms after her pregnancy, and doctors told her she needed to lose substantial weight before they could assess her as a donor.The comment from a transplant specialist deeply upset her. But instead of giving up, she turned the challenge into a personal mission. Eighteen months later, she had lost 70 kilograms.“I knew it was on me, that I had to save him,” Rinat told ynetnews.
How diabetes damaged Meir’s kidneys
Meir, now 41, was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 12. He admitted that he had not always followed his treatment plan or dietary advice.Over the years, his condition led to serious complications. He lost his sight in both eyes, developed nerve damage in his hands and feet, and eventually experienced kidney failure.His creatinine levels rose sharply, leaving him facing dialysis or a transplant. He eventually spent three months on dialysis while Rinat completed the donor evaluation process.For Meir, dialysis meant spending hours in treatment three times a week. The exhaustion could last for days, leaving little room for ordinary family life.
The kidney she prepared to give him went to a stranger
Two weeks before the scheduled operation, a transplant coordinator called Rinat with an unexpected proposal.A 61-year-old patient had spent 16 years on dialysis without finding a suitable donor. Rinat was an exceptionally good match for him.Doctors suggested a paired kidney exchange. Rinat would donate her kidney to the stranger, and Meir would receive a kidney from another willing donor.This arrangement could help two people instead of one.Meir initially worried about what would happen if his transplant failed. Doctors assured him that he would receive priority on the transplant list if that happened. He agreed.Rinat’s surgery went smoothly. Meir’s recovery was harder, with repeated infections and hospitalisations during the first eight months. He later said he was doing well.
One donation, two families changed
The kidney Rinat donated helped a man she had never met. Meanwhile, Meir received a kidney from Eitan Nahushtan, a 35-year-old teacher who donated altruistically.The families remain in touch and meet when possible. A decision that began with one woman trying to save her husband eventually connected two donor families and two transplant recipients.For Meir, the greatest relief was leaving dialysis behind. For Rinat, the transplant also marked a personal turning point. She said losing weight had made her more active with her children and helped her feel healthier.“I don’t know whether I would have managed it if I hadn’t had the goal of saving Meir,” she recalled.
The story also carries a lesson about kidney health
Rinat and Meir’s experience shows that organ donation does not always follow a simple path. A donor may intend to help one person, yet a paired exchange can make it possible for two patients to receive kidneys.The story also highlights the long-term effects of poorly controlled diabetes. High blood sugar can damage blood vessels and nerves, including those involved in kidney function. Regular treatment, medical follow-up and attention to complications remain important.Rinat says living with one kidney has made little difference to her daily life. However, kidney donors need careful medical evaluation and lifelong follow-up. Donation is a major decision, not a gesture that should be taken lightly.The couple’s story is ultimately about more than sacrifice. It is about how illness can test a family, how strangers can become connected through generosity, and how one difficult decision can change several lives.Disclaimer: This article is based on a report published by ynet news and the personal accounts of Rinat and Meir Kara. It does not establish that every detail of Meir’s earlier treatment was medically inadequate.
