Cream Ridge/Upper Freehold Township’s ‘Dr. Kaye’ Celebrates Her Lifesaving Kidney Transplants and Inspires Others Through Advocacy Efforts
(Cream Ridge / Upper Freehold Township, NJ) – Dr. Karen Aitken-Douyon, affectionately known as Dr. Kaye, a pediatric and school-based physical therapist, is taking time to reflect on the power of organ and tissue donation and transplantation as she recently celebrated the 14th anniversary of the first of two successful lifesaving kidney transplants, as she steadfastly holds on to her faith.
“I thank God every day for life and the generosity of my kidney donor heroes. Every opportunity I have to speak to others about my life’s journey and the impact of organ and tissue donation is a chance to give back and support the incredible work of NJ Sharing Network in helping to save and enhance more lives,” said Dr. Kaye, who serves as a volunteer mentor for patients who are considering which method to utilize for dialysis and those who were recently placed on dialysis.
Dr. Kaye enjoyed a healthy childhood and was active and vibrant before health challenges began in her late 20s. Her life took a dramatic turn when she was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus), which attacked her kidneys and eventually resulted in renal (kidney) failure after a pulmonary embolism on November 2, 2010. She opted to go on ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
Dr. Kaye’s loving husband of 32 years, Pierre Douyon, attempted to donate one of his kidneys to her. However, they were not a compatible transplant match, and it was deemed Pierre was not suitable to be a kidney donor. Upon hearing this, one of Dr. Kaye’s best friends, Dr. Dale Coffin offered to donate one of her kidneys. The two best friends were a perfect crossmatch causing the doctors to believe they were related. Dr. Coffin’s selfless act provided Dr. Kaye with a new lease on life following the successful kidney transplant on August 24, 2010, at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center.
In the years that followed, Dr. Kaye was able to live a vibrant and fulfilling life, including returning to school to earn three additional college degrees. Unfortunately, in August 2015, she had another embolism causing her transplanted kidney to fail. She was placed on continuous peritoneal dialysis, in-clinic hemodialysis, and eventually home hemodialysis following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Dr. Kaye would tell it, “after seven years, two months, and three days on dialysis,” she received her second kidney transplant from a deceased donor on October 18, 2023, at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. This gift of life from a selfless stranger allows Dr. Kaye to continue her personal and professional pursuits with renewed vigor and awareness.
“Facing health challenges tested my resolve, but I never lost hope, which led family, friends, and others to call me ‘Super Woman’ and their ‘hero.’ The support of my village and my strong faith in God gave me the resolve to persevere. My transplants allow me to live a purpose-driven life filled with gratitude and a desire to educate others about living and thriving on dialysis and the life-changing gift of being a donor,” said Dr. Kaye.
Despite the hurdles she faced, Dr. Kaye has excelled both academically and professionally. She has earned a total of five academic degrees, including a Bachelor of Science from SUNY at Stony Brook and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), now under the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences umbrella. As a physical therapist, Dr. Kaye has been able to use her expertise to help others lead healthier lives, a personal mission she values deeply. As she ponders retirement, Dr. Kaye reflects on the lives she has impacted from babies to the elderly, and hopes her interventions improved their quality of life.
“Each kidney transplant was not just a medical procedure but a life-changing event that has allowed me to pursue my dreams and make a difference in the lives I’ve touched. I hope and pray that my story of how the unselfish acts of two individuals changed my life motivates at least one person to consider registering as an organ and tissue donor,” said Dr. Kaye.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), over 100,000 Americans are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, with nearly 4,000 of them in New Jersey. One organ and tissue donor can save eight lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others. However, the opportunity to give the gift of life is extremely rare - not everyone who registers as a donor is able to donate after they pass away. In fact, less than 1% of all deaths meet the specific medical criteria to be an organ donor. This underscores the pressing need for more registered donors. To learn more about organ donation, get involved, and join the National Donate Life Registry, visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org.
PHOTO CAPTION - (Left-to-Right) Pierre Douyon and Dr. Karen Aitken-Douyon (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)
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