Georgetown OB-GYN donates kidney to her father

Dave Horton was born with a recessive gene that causes kidney disease. When it was determined he needed a kidney transplant, his daughter signed up to be a living donor --- and matched.

GEORGETOWN, Texas - Dave Horton was born with a recessive gene that caused his kidney disease. By the time his diagnosis was determined, he needed a transplant.

Last year, his kidney function was down to about 15 percent.

"We’d known for several years that his kidney function was decreasing," said Kelly Montiville, Horton's daughter. "Being a doctor, I know about the options of things like dialysis and how it can impact your life. (It) make(s) it, well, not that much fun."

Montiville, who is a local OB-GYN, signed up to be her father's kidney donor, and turned out to be a match.

After extensive medical testing, and a genetic test that showed she did not carry the same gene that caused her father's kidney disease, Montiville was cleared to donate.

"I wasn't surprised, and, of course, I was sort of counting on it," Horton said. "I was relieved as well."

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"Giving a kidney is a gift like no other, especially when the donor is a living donor," Horton said. "They obviously could be using that kidney, but, fortunately, they have a spare."

Their transplant surgery happened last October at the Kidney Transplant Center at St. David's North Austin Medical Center.

"I took three weeks off work completely," Montiville said. "After three weeks, I went back to the clinic, and then I held off on delivering babies and doing surgery for another three weeks. And really, from there, I couldn't tell that I'd had anything done at all. I had two very healthy kidneys, my labs hardly changed at all from having one healthy kidney."

Horton is also doing well, and, like all organ transplant patients, is agon anti-rejection medication to protect the gift from his daughter.

"I feel great," Horton said. "I've just had to adjust to changes in diet, changes in how I socialize, because I'm immunocompromised."

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He's looking forward to his first Father's Day with his new, healthy kidney.

"It's going to be fantastic," Horton said. "I am up and about. Totally back to normal. I'll be able to visit with my kids and grandkids."

Montiville hopes their story will inspire others to become living kidney donors.

"If you do get an opportunity, whether it be a family member or even a friend, or a stranger, and you just happen to match with them, it is a really nice gift to give," Montiville said. "And, it's a long term thing for that person, just it's just a short-term discomfort for the donor."

If you'd like to learn more about donating, click here.