Submitted Photo
Richard Peters, left, is pictured with his niece, Priscilla Peters Banes, his living kidney donor.
SILVER CREEK — As he approached the age of 70, Richard “Dick” Peters saw his health deteriorating due to a genetic condition known as Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). Faced with the prospect of dialysis, Peters shared his worsening condition with his family.
Lucky for him, his niece is not only in the medical field, she was also a willing donor.
Priscilla Peters Banes, a Nurse Administrator at the UPMC Chautauqua hospital in Jamestown, willingly donated one of her kidneys to her uncle on Sept. 9. Just over two months later, Peters was surrounded by approximately 30 friends and family that gathered at the Firehouse on the Lake to celebrate his 70th birthday.
The gathering was more than just a birthday party, but rather a celebration of the life Peters can now live thanks to the gift of his niece, Priscilla. She was among the guests in attendance as Peters was joined by his wife of 43 years, Mary Beth.
“It was amazing. You don’t usually get that kind of response,” Mary Beth Peters said of the celebration. “… Everyone was very kind and caring.”
She later joked, “We called it a celebration of life, and it’s nice because he’s alive.”
Richard Peters was diagnosed with PKD in 1997. In the years since, although he was stable for many years, his condition eventually worsened over time until it advanced to Stage 4 in 2022.
In an attempt to avoid dialysis, Peters sought a kidney donor. The clock was ticking to make a decision while he was of his right mind, as kidney failure typically leads to confusion.
“I just thank God that we didn’t have to go the dialysis route or anxiously wait by the phone for a kidney,” Mary Beth Peters said.
In July of 2023, Richard Peters reached the threshold to be considered for a kidney transplant. Just a few months earlier, he spoke to his niece, Priscilla, about his worsening condition. He recalls Priscilla’s casual response: “I’ll give you one of mine.”
Mary Beth Peters claims that Priscilla witnessed patients of her own suffering while in need of a kidney. She always kept the idea of donating a kidney in her mind, and when her uncle was in need, there she was, ready to answer the call.
“We think of her as an angel,” Mary Beth Peters said. “Ordinary people can be angels.”
As Richard Peters’ condition worsened, four different people offered to donate a kidney, including his sister, but it was his niece, Priscilla, who was a perfect match.
Since the transplant, Richard’s kidney function has dramatically improved, from around 17% before the procedure to close to 50% now.
“Everything about it was so perfect that his kidney started functioning right away,” Mary Beth Peters said.
The Peters family hopes others will follow a similar path as Priscilla did in stepping up as a kidney donor. Such an extraordinary gift could save a stranger, or in their case, even a beloved family member.