GOOD GUYS DO WEAR BLACK HATS!
"This year for Valentine’s Day, my husband, Jim Larson, didn’t get me any flowers, candy or jewelry, but he gave me the greatest gift of all, the gift of life. In February, I had a kidney transplant in which my husband was the living donor," said Wanda Larson, of LaMoure, as she addressed the crowd at Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative’s annual meeting after receiving a $650 Operation Round Up grant.
Wanda and Jim met one weekend while she was attending the Harvest Holidays celebration in Edgeley.
"He introduced himself and I thought 'Oh, yeah, he's kind of nice'," she recalls. Nine months later, in June 1999, the couple was married.
Three years later, Wanda had just started her job as a child protection advocate at the LaMoure County Social Services office, when tests revealed her kidneys were operating at less than 20 percent of their normal output.
About 20 years earlier, she had been diagnosed with Type-1 (juvenile) diabetes, which is unusual since it usually develops at a much earlier age.
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Tests eliminated Wanda’s brother and sister who had a different blood type. Though not a perfect match, Jim’s tests proved he was close enough to be Wanda’s donor.
"I am 100 percent in favor of organ donation," says Jim, adding that he has been signed up to be an organ donor for years, "Ever since you could put it on your driver's license – over 20 years ago – way before I knew Wanda," he explains.
About 18 months after learning she would need a transplant, with her kidney output down to 10 percent, the surgery was scheduled.
The couple was out of the hospital in less than a week and recuperated at home for another month; both are now back to work full-time.
Wanda, who is also on the list for a pancreas transplant and must stay within two hours travel time of MeritCare Hospital, takes daily anti-rejection medications costing up to $1200 a month (after insurance has paid its share). Jim has had no side effects since being a donor and takes no medication.
Jim says, "We just want to make everyone aware of the need for organ donation. Thousands of people die, on a yearly basis, waiting for organs. I want people to know they can be donors, like me, and still lead a perfectly normal life."
Meet Wanda and Jim Larson: "We want to thank Dakota Valley and the Operation Round-up program for the $650 grant, but most of all, we want to thank the co-op members who make these funds possible by 'rounding up’ their electric bills," say Jim and Wanda Larson, Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative members from LaMoure.
Wanda, originally from Tioga, attended Minot State University and worked in Social Service offices in Breckenridge and Wahpeton before moving to LaMoure.
Born and raised in the LaMoure area, Jim lived in Washington before returning to LaMoure where he now owns and operates Larson Septic Service. He is also employed full-time as a welder at J.L.G. Industries in Oakes, where they manufacture industrial equipment and frames for military vehicles.
Together, the couple, who married in June 1999, has four children, two sons, Taylor and Elijah, and two daughters, Cody Jean and McKenzie.
