Kidney-Pancreas Recipient Celebrates Life with Teen Daughters

After 24 years, transplanted organs still functioning, allowing Faith to enjoy her family and support TPR as a staff member.

kidney and pancreas transplant recipient faith carlin with her daughters
Kidney and pancreas transplant recipient Faith Carlin, second from right, with her daughters Elizabeth and Erin and husband Alex.

Faith is so thankful for a healthy active life because she received a kidney and pancreas transplant from her donor in the summer of 1992. Following the transplant, Faith was told she could have children, but to wait at least one year before becoming pregnant. After six years, Faith met her husband Alex and together they met with the late Dr. Vincent Armenti, founder of the Transplant Pregnancy Registry (TPR), to find out if it would be safe for Faith to give birth. After reviewing the data collected by the TPR and Faith’s medical history, Dr. Armenti was able to assure them that it was certainly possible for Faith to have a healthy baby and for her to remain healthy with her transplant. He suggested that Faith speak with her transplant team about becoming pregnant and that she be followed by a high-risk obstetrician. Faith followed this advice and had two healthy daughters who are now teenagers. Faith still has normal kidney and pancreas function after 24 years.  She and Alex are very grateful for the research information available from TPR. A few years later, Faith began to work as a research coordinator for the TPR, bringing a special perspective to the study.