Sallisaw brothers celebrate 42-year kidney transplant anniversary

Sallisaw native Murel Copeland gave his brother, Hayes, a gift 42 years ago. It was the gift of life. And it strengthened their enduring bond between brothers.

When Hayes faced complete kidney failure more than four decades ago, younger brother Murel stepped up and offered one of his. On Nov. 3, 1981, the brothers underwent the first living-related kidney transplant procedure in Wichita, Kan., where Hayes was living at the time.

And after all these years, it’s still going strong. This is quite an achievement, as most kidneys from a living donor commonly last about 20 to 25 years.

The brothers have celebrated several major kidney anniversary milestones, including at 10 and 20 years. But their original plans to celebrate the 40-year mark in 2021 were derailed by the pandemic and health problems unrelated to the kidney.

Now that both are well again, and not wanting to wait until the actual November date so that no other obstacles presented themselves, they had a blow-out party for their 42-year anniversary of the transplant Sept. 30 at Sallisaw’s Wheeler Event Center.

More than 70 friends, family and even healthcare professionals showed up to help Hayes and Murel celebrate their emotional journey.

But Hayes’ greatest gratitude is to Murel. “He gave me back my life, and I don’t know where I’d be right now if not for him,” Hayes says.

In 1981 when Murel heard that his brother needed a kidney, he asked, “Won’t mine work?”

That led to them both undergoing the first livingrelated kidney transplant procedure done in Wichita. Following that Nov. 3 transplant, it was considered a success, and remains so 42 years later.

“I didn’t realize it would last so long, really. But apparently, he had taken very good care of it,” Murel said.

“His gift meant everything,” Hayes said of Murel. “It meant freedom to travel and to have a normal life. And I can never repay that.”

It was in the mid-1970s that Hayes’ physical condition began to show signs of degenerative kidney disease. Within a short time, he faced complete kidney failure and was told he either needed to get a kidney transplant or start dialysis treatment. His whole family stepped up as willing donors, but it was younger brother Murel who proved to be a perfect match.

As the transplant date neared, and as fate would have it, world-class kidney surgeon Dr. Charles Shield III moved to Wichita from San Antonio and headed the transplant team. Following the five-hour transplant procedure, Murel went home after three days, while Hayes remained in the hospital for nearly two weeks so that his new kidney could be monitored.

Hayes takes anti-rejection medications, has periodic check-ups with a nephrologist in Fort Smith and even checks in periodically with Dr. Shield.

While most kidneys from a living donor commonly last about 20 to 25 years, when Hayes asked Shield how long he thought the new kidney would last, Shield replied, “In your case, probably a lifetime.”

After all they’ve been through, the brothers remain close and have celebrated several major anniversary milestones. At 10 years, they held a large party; at 20 years, they were welcomed back for a celebration thrown by the hospital; at 25 years, Hayes and his wife took Murel and his wife on an Alaskan cruise; at 30 years there was another party; and to mark 42 years, it was another party.

“I’d like to do even more for him,” Hayes says of Murel. “He gave me life. I don’t know where I’d be right now if he hadn’t done what he did.”

But Murel remains modest about his life-giving gift. “I don’t know about all that, but I will say it’s the best thing I’ver ever done, and I’ve never regretted it. And if I had it to do over again, I’d do it.”