Alabama Democrat donates kidney to complete stranger in the midst of election campaign

The current pandemic has seen many small acts of kindness from people around the world, but this one may just take the biscuit.

Democratic congressional candidate Kiani Gardner last month donated an actual organ from her body to a complete stranger.

Gardner had been on the list to donate a kidney for two years, but did not expect to get the call during the congressional race – or in the middle of a global health crisis.

Still, she went ahead and underwent surgery on 30 April, after being told to self-isolate to ensure she did not contract Covid-19 in advance of the donation.

She told The Hill:

It was an inconvenient time to give a kidney, but in the grand scheme of things it's no less convenient than to have your kidneys fail.

You can't argue with that.

The recipient of the kidney was Alabama resident Tyson Bell, who has been polycystic kidney disease for years.

Bell told NBC:

I get an opportunity because of the new kidney. I get an opportunity to raise my children; I have got a four-year-old and a nine-year-old. I have potentially an opportunity to have grandkids and see them and interact with them, so this is a new lease on life for me.

Gardner is currently recovering from the surgery and is in contact with Bell's wife via text. She says it hasn't had much impact on her campaign, given current circumstances mean there isn't much to be done anyway.