Bobbie Bartz

Roberta "Bobbie" Bartz has a sunny disposition. An upbeat person who often uses words such as "beautiful" and "fantastic," Bobbie displays her exuberance for through whenever she speaks. But, she hasn't always had it easy. Her enthusiastic outlook is particularly remarkable given the road she's traveled in the past decade.

Diagnosed at age 54 with cardiomyopathy, a chronic heart disorder, Bobbie underwent a heart transplant in 1994. Because her husband was battling cancer, she elected to have her surgery in Milwaukee, Wis., close to her hometown of Racine, so she could stay with him as much as possible. One month before she received her new heart, her husband died. Then, as a result of complications from her heart transplant, in 2002, Bobbie found out she also needed a kidney transplant.

Although she had plenty of volunteers willing to donate a kidney, the obstacles kept coming. After 17 prospective donors stepped forward, and no one was a suitable match, Bobbie knew it was time to try something different. In 2003, Bobbie underwent a kidney transplant at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., that involved a donor with a different blood type than her own. Bobbie credits that ABO-incompatible kidney transplant, an uncommon procedure, with saving her life.

Looking for the right match

When Bobbie learned she needed a kidney transplant, her daughter, Dawn Donahue, was first to say she'd be the donor.

"When I was a teenager, I probably took a few years off her life, so I thought I owed it to her," laughs Dawn. "Really, though, it was a no-brainer. I think anyone would have done it for their mom."

They were dismayed to find, however, that Dawn's A blood type didn't match Bobbie's type O. That process would be repeated multiple times throughout the next several months as others also were turned down because they didn't match.

"They even put me on TV. I worked for the sheriff's department as a volunteer in Racine, Wis., and the sheriff went on the air to tell about my plight," says Bobbie. "Four people who did not know me called. One person matched. But, when she came to Mayo to be tested, there was something wrong. One of my friends also came to be tested; she was type O. But, there were complications there, too, and it didn't work out."

At that point, Bobbie's doctors at Mayo Clinic began talking with her about the possibility of her daughter being her donor through an ABO-incompatible kidney transplant. Mayo had performed such transplants successfully, but never on someone who had previously had a heart transplant. Bobbie and Dawn decided it was their best option.

"We didn't know how it was going to turn out," says Dawn. But my mom had such a positive attitude through everything, and we knew the care at Mayo was the best. You can't beat it anywhere. My gut feeling was that it was going to be successful."

Trying a different approach

Usually, if a patient were to receive an organ from a donor with an incompatible blood type, naturally occurring antibodies would trigger the immune system to destroy the transplanted kidney. To avoid that reaction, Bobbie had to undergo plasmapheresis. This dialysis like procedure removed the antibodies from her blood, including those that would potentially destroy the new organ. Then, she received an infusion of plasma serum that included the regular antibodies needed for a functioning immune system.

After some complications postponed the operation for several months, Bobbie and Dawn underwent transplant surgery on July 22, 2003. A week later, her doctors discovered Bobbie had a hernia, so she required another operation.

"When the hernia surgery was over, I felt fantastic," says Bobbie. "I had energy again. It was wonderful."

Dawn remained in the hospital for two days and was able to return to work six weeks after surgery. Looking back, she encourages others to consider becoming kidney donors, saying, "They wouldn't regret it. The temporary pain is just a minor inconvenience when you know what you're doing is going to keep someone else alive."

Although Bobbie has experienced some difficult times since her transplant — she's required hospitalization on several occasions — her attitude remains buoyant. "Everyone tells me I look fantastic. I'm doing so well," she says. "The doctors at Mayo made the difference. They were there every step of the way, and they never gave up on me. They are kind, they are knowledgeable and professional. You couldn't want any more, could you?"

Spreading the word

Bobbie's mission now is to spread the word that there are options for those in need of a kidney transplant who are having difficulty finding a donor. "As someone with type O blood, I felt left behind when we were looking for a good match. Type Os can give to people with A, B and AB blood types, but we can only get our own. That can make the wait long," she says. "But now there are alternatives. The ABO-incompatibles are being done more and more. There is hope."

Since her heart transplant, Bobbie has regularly spoken to civic, church and school groups about transplantation, emphasizing the value of organ donation. "I'm so excited now because I've got this brand-new kidney, and there is this new process to tell people about," she says.

Although the last 10 years have been challenging, Bobbie insists she wouldn't change a thing. "After you have a transplant, it not only gives you a new life, it changes your whole mindset," she says. "Once you've been near death, you wake up, look around, and see things you've never seen before. It's a whole new way of living. It's beautiful. If I had to do it four times over again, I would."