By Andy Matarrese
Sacrifice is a part of day-to-day life in long-distance running. Head Cross Country and Track Coach Rob Conner has taken this attitude one step further, donating his kidney to a stranger whose husband will in turn donate a kidney to Conner's mother, Shirley Conner.
Upon hearing that his mother, who has suffered from polycystic kidney disease for many years, was in need of a new kidney, Conner immediately volunteered. Although his kidney wasn't a match, word came that he was a match with a woman in Seattle. She and her husband did not match, but, the man was a match for Conner's mother. A trade was brokered and Conner agreed to donate a kidney to the woman, and her husband donated a kidney to Conner's mother.
"I said yes right away without thinking twice," Conner said. "I think anyone who had an opportunity to do that for a loved one would do the same thing."
Freshman Michael Manning, a member of the track and cross country team, said that Conner maintained a positive, even jovial, attitude leading up to the surgery.
"I remember him saying something like it was his last hurrah because he's either going to be dead or not as fast," Manning said, of Conner's thoughts on the marathon he ran before the surgery.
"When he told us about it, it was, for him, an obvious decision and he said he hoped that we'd do the same thing for our mothers," sophomore runner Derek Simmons said.
Conner's wife Gwen said she initially felt some apprehension.
"My wife was worried at first, obviously," Conner said, "because I jumped into it without thinking."
Gwen Conner, who Conner called the more logical half of the couple, thought getting more information might have been a good idea.
"There's probably a reason you have two kidneys," she said.
Her worries subsided because of the support and counsel of the staff at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, where Conner had the surgery.
"That was comforting, to get more of the facts about it," Gwen Conner said. "Knowing what to expect made it much easier."
Conner also sought medical advice, referring to Portland harrier and senior nursing major John Moore. Conner was thankful to Moore for informing him on hospital procedures and waylaying his concerns regarding catheterization.
Moore told him not to worry about it; it's not too bad.
The surgery, which took place on Jan. 14, went well for all parties. Shirley Conner is currently doing well and appears to be accepting the donor kidney.
"I think everyone's in a better position than they were before," Gwen Conner said, explaining that Shirley and the stranger, while not entirely out of the woods yet, are now off dialysis and using their new kidneys.
Conner said that he would like to return to his coaching duties as soon as possible, depending on how quickly he recovers from the surgery.
"I feel like I've been punched in the stomach really hard," he said.
The doctors told him that it may take some months for his body to adjust and his remaining kidney to take over. He initially hoped that his healthy lifestyle (Conner is an avid vegan and ran a 2:39.53 marathon in December) would help him bounce back.
"Originally I thought 'I eat so well so I'm going to recover quickly,'" he said.
Although his recovery isn't proceeding as fast as he hoped, he is improving, taking longer walks and moving with greater ease.
"When you don't know what's going on, you think you're going to be a tough guy," he said.
The surgery came during a lull between seasons, easing the burden of an absent head coach for the track and cross-country teams.
"Even though it may be a little inconvenient at times, everybody understands," said Simmons, adding that the whole team supports and admires Conner's decision. Conner's assistant coach, Andrew Lafrenz, has been taking over for Conner in his absence.
Women's Track and Cross Country Head Coach Ian Solof, a former runner under Conner, said that the donation was very characteristic of his colleague and former coach.
"It's no surprise to me at all," he said. "He's just that kind of guy, and it totally goes along with his personality and nature to do something like that."
