Daughter of Singer Amy Grant Gives her Best Friend a Kidney
Sure, you love your best pal, but would you give him or her an organ if it could save their life? The answer to that question was an easy one for Gloria Mills “Millie” Chapman, daughter of singers Amy Grant and her first husband, musician Gary Chapman.
You may recall Millie as the inspiration behind Grant’s 1991 hit, “Baby Baby.”
The 27-year-old and her friend, Kathryn Dudley, underwent surgery January 24, and the 2 are recovering nicely. [1]
Dudley was diagnosed with FSGS (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis) at the age of 13. She explains:
“The parts of the kidneys, the tubes, they scar, so I basically just kind have little tiny rocks for kidneys. They don’t work.”
According to the National Kidney Foundation, the scarring associated with FSGS can have many causes, including an infection, a drug, or a disease that affects the entire body, such as diabetes, HIV, sickle cell disease or lupus. Doctors try and treat the condition with steroids, immunosuppressive drugs, blood pressure medications, diuretics, and diet changes.
Doctors tried to figure out a way to successfully treat Dudley, until 2014 when she was told she was in kidney failure and was placed on the transplant list.
Chapman and Dudley have known each other all their lives, and when Chapman found out her friend’s kidneys were failing, it just seemed logical to try and give her one of her one. Chapman says:
“I was at a Yankees game, and she just said she was going into active kidney failure. OK well take mine, I have 2, you need 1.”
Astonishingly – dare I say miraculously – when Chapman got tested, she found out she was a perfect match: O+. Dudley told WKRN:
“We’ve been friends for pretty much forever. Turns out we’re not just best friends, but our antibodies are, too.”
Grant posted on her Facebook page January 25:
“We are so proud of Millie’s selfless act of friendship and are grateful that both girls are doing well after yesterday’s surgeries.”
Here’s Amy and Millie as a toddler at the 1992 Grammy Awards.
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