A Christian answers a Muslim's prayers

Family hopes to change view of organ donations

Oralandar Brand-Williams / The Detroit News

Dearborn Heights

Raeda Charara Haidar will never forget how her teenage son dropped 80 pounds in just a month because of his failing kidneys.

After doctors told her he would need a kidney transplant, Haidar prayed a miracle would happen for her young son.

In December, Haidar's prayers were answered in the form of a longtime family friend, Sherry Lodwig, who is Christian. Three months ago, Lodwig underwent surgery at Detroit's Harper Hospital to have one of her kidneys removed for Haidar's 21-year-old son, Rami Haidar.

He and a younger brother, 17-year-old Mohamad, have Alport Syndrome, a genetic disease that causes kidney failure.

The Haidars are Muslim and hope that by sharing their story they can get others to view organ donors and transplants through a different prism.

In some interpretations of Islamic law, it is viewed as religiously "unlawful" to transplant organs whether it is from a living or dead donor.

"A lot of people in our culture are afraid to do something like that," said Raeda Haidar about Lodwig's willingness to donate one of her kidneys. "There's a verse in the Qur'an that says if you save one person in life it's like you've saved mankind."

Rami Haidar said the transplant was like Lodwig giving "the gift of life."

"It's the most precious thing," said Rami Haidar. "I really can't explain it in my own words. When my kidneys failed I was at home all the time. I was in and out of the hospital."

Raeda Haidar said Lodwig was indeed heaven sent.

"I prayed that God will send somebody," said Raeda Haidar. "There were nights I prayed for someone like Sherry."

Lodwig said she felt all along that she was doing the right thing.

"It was God's will," said Lodwig, 52, of Dearborn. "If God didn't want it to happen it wouldn't have happened. It was too simple (the surgery). It was not a hard process to go through at all."

On Sunday, Lodwig will be honored at a fundraising dinner at the Islamic Center of America for helping the Haidars through her organ donation.

Next week, the Gift of Life's Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program will host National Donor Sabbath.

The event is Nov. 13-15 at several locations throughout metro Detroit.

The event will feature families and individuals from the Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths sharing their personal stories about organ donations.

bwilliams@detnews.com (313) 222-2027