Game On: Kidney Transplant Helps Chiefs Fan Make a Big Comeback

Five years ago, 66-year-old Diane Hicks of Fairfax, Missouri, had a health scare that turned out to be a turning point for her entire life. Doctors discovered a tumor on her left kidney and referred her to a specialist in Lincoln, Nebraska, for surgical removal. Although the surgery revealed the tumor was not cancerous, the tumor led to a series of escalating health concerns, including high blood pressure and declining kidney function. Her family also has a history of diabetes, putting her at a higher risk of kidney disease.  

Diane was not the first in her family to face these challenges. With two sisters who had gone through dialysis and passed away from kidney complications, Diane knew firsthand the toll kidney disease could take. During her recovery in Lincoln, Diane’s surgeon recommended she seriously consider a kidney transplant to improve her overall health and life expectancy. She was referred to Saint Luke’s Abdominal Transplant and Multispecialty Clinic, the Kansas City region’s most experienced transplant group responsible for more than 2,500 kidney transplants since performing the region’s first in 1969. Diane had her doubts about the possibility of ever receiving a transplant, but as her condition worsened, that possibility turned into necessity. 

“They told me the waiting period can be up to five years, so I was feeling doubtful,” Diane says. “But on Oct. 26, 2024, I got the call that changed my life.” 

Diane had matched with a kidney donor. And less than 24 hours later, she was in the surgical unit at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City. As a patient in the transplant program, Diane was prepared for this moment. Saint Luke’s physicians work with potential transplant patients before they ever match with a donor to help them understand the procedure and recovery, so they can move quickly when the time comes. Diane’s surgery was a success and she woke up in the recovery room ready for game day.  

“I woke up and I immediately asked the nurse what time it was,” Diane says. “She tells me, and I said, ‘Great, get me back to my room. The Chiefs are playing the Raiders.’”  

The Chiefs won 27–20, and Diane didn’t miss a game all season long. Today, she’s thriving with a sense of relief she never thought possible. 

“You don’t realize how bad you’ve felt until after the transplant,” Diane says. “I’ve had people tell me I look 10 years younger, and my energy level is higher than it ever was.” 

Given her family history and transplant, Diane continues to see a dietitian, endocrinologist, and nephrologist to ensure she remains in good health. Once a month, she meets with her transplant team at Saint Luke’s Hospital, who she considers a second family.  

“I can’t say enough good things about everyone at Saint Luke’s,” Diane says. “I look forward to those monthly visits because everyone is so warm and welcoming. I trusted them with my life, and they continue to earn that trust with every interaction.” 

Diane and her husband of 45 years live on a farm outside Fairfax. He was recently diagnosed with a kidney condition of his own, and there was no question of where he would seek care. 

“Saint Luke’s was the only choice,” Diane says. “He’s done all the initial scans and is now undergoing the transplant evaluation process. Whatever happens from here, we know he’s in good hands at Saint Luke’s.” 

Saint Luke’s Hospital Abdominal Transplant and Multispecialty Clinic provides a full range of services for gastrointestinal conditions, abdominal surgery, patients with liver disease, and those who require a liver or kidney transplant.  Learn more about the Saint Luke’s kidney transplant team here.