Community Corner

Wife Donates Kidney to Husband With No Hesitation

But before surgery, Colleen Alleyne had to lose 20 pounds.

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By Lisa Lenkiewicz

Colleen Alleyne turned out to be a match for a kidney donation for her husband, Michael, who for years suffered from polycystic kidney disease and also is a diabetic. 

But there was a stumbling block: Colleen, 46, was told she needed to lose 20 pounds. Although she had been working out steadily prior to learning this, the weight was not coming off easily. 

According to Colleen, who resides with her husband and three sons in Middletown, Connecticut, the kidney transplant coordinator at Yale-New Haven Hospital provided suggestions, and she eventually chose the Jenny Craig weight loss program. 

She had a trainer for a short while, but it was expensive and she had to stop the sessions. She had a busy work schedule — she is a home visitor for the Family School Connection at Bielefield Elementary School, in Middletown. She also is the mother of three active boys. Yet, three months after she started the program she had lost the full amount of weight and was cleared for surgery.

“I never lost sight of my goal, but at times I was scared I was going to fail and worried my husband would have to go on dialysis,” Alleyne said.

The surgery was postponed a month due to insurance problems, but in January 2013, Michael received Colleen’s kidney. The procedure went off without a hitch for both of them at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Colleen never hesitated in her decision to give up a kidney to her husband of 23 years, although she admits to some nervousness before her laparoscopic procedure.

“My husband is a great father, very involved with the kids. I jokingly told him even if I didn’t like you I would have given you a kidney,” laughed Colleen. 

Today, Michael, 47, has lost weight and has so much energy he is once again enjoying biking. Colleen took a little longer to bounce back but is now close to her goal of losing 30 pounds.

Going forward, Colleen said her challenge is to be mindful of taking certain medications, such as Advil, which she said is not good for her kidney. In addition, her goal is to “continue to remain a healthy weight so my quality of life will not be altered as I age.” 

We’re dedicating the months of April and May to telling the stories of people locally and statewide who have overcome the impossible, affecting positive change in their own lives, or in communities. Sponsored by Grape-Nuts.


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