Minnesota Hospital Proves a Couple is a Perfect Match

There’s an old saying when it comes to relationships, “when you know, you know”. Another phrase that you hear when it comes to relationships is a perfect match.  

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“Perfect” is normally a strong word, but this is one of those cases where it is the exception not the rule. And “perfect” in this case extends far beyond just the relationship. 

Meet Corey O’Neil and his wife Julie Skog-O'Neill. This couple from Wisconsin has been married for over two decades. In 2007, Corey wasn’t feeling feel and after some tests, his doctors diagnosed him with polycystic kidney disease. 

Basically, this genetic disorder causes cysts on his kidneys. Those cysts continue to grow and multiply until your kidney function ceases to be normal.  

Corey was placed on the kidney donor registry and was told that it could be up to two years before a match was found. That’s where that word “perfect” comes into play again. 

Julie, still reeling from this devastating news, began to talk to the doctors about what was needed to be a match for her husband and then asked if she could be tested. 

After a few weeks, she learned that she was indeed a match to help her husband. Upon hearing the news, Julie told Fox 9 that it was “a no brainer” to have the surgery. 

Julie and Corey went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and had the procedure done. To this point, everything is going well for both husband and wife, who both became patients.  

Julie adds that it’s a lot less scary than she thought it would be, and for anyone who is presented with the opportunity to do what she did, she encourages people to consider it.  

April is a month to shine a spotlight on becoming an organ donor. To find out more, go to organdonor.gov.