Ms. Gail Tomas-Willis is a 67-year-old delightful woman who has led a wonderful and fulfilling
life as a singer, teacher and mother. She graduated from The Julliard School of Music in New
York and was the protégé of the great opera singer Ms. Licia Albanese.

Ms. Tomas-Willis lived and performed in Italy, Belgium and Switzerland for several years. When
she returned to the United States she performed Mozart Cosi Fan Tutte at the Shubert Theater.
She also performed concerts is the Bahamas and the prestigious Philadelphia Art Alliance. 

    
She now teaches voice to students who sing all types of music using the technique taught by the
classical voice teacher Manuel Garcia. She enjoys the company of her students and says they help to keep her young.

Ms. Tomas-Willis was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 45. She worked diligently to maintain her weight and control her blood glucose levels within a normal range. Following almost 25 years of diabetes she discovered that she now had chronic renal failure and was approaching dialysis. 

When her daughter, Marisa Diaz found that her mother would soon need dialysis she began an exhaustive search on the Internet for information concerning dialysis and transplantation. They tried everything possible to stave off dialysis as long as possible but Gail started dialysis in 2005.

The family soon sought out the help of Thomas Jefferson University’s Transplant Program and following her visit she was quickly listed on the Deceased Transplant Wait List.   Marisa and Nico, Ms. Tomas’s son and daughter, continued to seek other solutions to their mother’s dilemma. They continued their search on the Internet and sought support for their mother with other patients who were themselves waiting for kidneys on other lists across the country.

After some time they discovered a web site that matched patients and potential donors. They soon entered their mother's name on the kidney list for a kidney with MatchingDonors.com. She spoke to many people, all strangers to her, who were supportive of organ donation. Some of them were serious and some were just curious. Fortunately for Ms. Tomas she met Mr. Paul Wagner, a purchasing manager for a local Philadelphia air conditioning company.

Mr. Wagner has been a long time advocate of altruistic organ donation. He is a generous man, who had a desire to help another in need. He began to dialogue with Ms. Tomas via e-mail and decided to call the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Transplant Program, seeking information concerning organ donation. After a frank discussion about altruistic organ donation with Ms. Kim Phillips R.N. Transplant Coordinator for the Kidney Transplant Program, Mr. Wagner asked to be tested as a potential donor for Ms.Gail Tomas-Willis. We were happy to inform him that his crossmatch with Ms. Tomas was compatible.

We then began a thorough examination both medically as well as psychologically of Mr. Wagner. Following this exhaustive examination including many discussions with the surgeons, psychiatrist and social worker, the Kidney Transplant Team met and agreed to perform the surgery.

On February 14, 2006 the successful transplantation was performed by Dr. Cataldo Doria, the Interim Director of the Transplant Division at Jefferson Medical College – Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Both patients are doing well.