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Acknowledgments

This book would not be what it is today without the help of some magnificent people. I read a great deal about kidney failure and dialysis, but it was the human perspective that enabled me to bring Ben and Holly’s experience to life. Thank you, Janay Freebery, for being so open about your and your father, Jack Freebery’s, donation story. Also, I appreciate Mark and Ann for talking to a complete stranger about such a personal topic. To my two wonderful aunts, Maureen Cambier and Patricia Porta, you not only gave me your love and support, but also provided me with a glimpse into a medical professional’s viewpoint.

Then, there are the lovely women who took the time to read my story when it was still in rough shape. Thank you, Kate, Allyson, Heather, Dana, Jamie, and Crystal. Through your honest commentary, I was able to approach the editing process with a new perspective and hopefully do justice to the characters on my page.

I have to give a major shout-out to Jovana Shirley at Unforeseen Editing. My book would have been riddled with an embarrassing amount of grammar errors if it wasn’t for your sharp eye. Thank you for working your editing magic.

If I have forgotten anyone, I am truly sorry. But know that I appreciate you all.

Author’s Note

Kidney failure, also known as renal failure, affects hundreds of thousands of people in the United States. The main form of treatment is dialysis, of which there are two forms: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. However, the most effective form of treatment is receiving a kidney donation.

I first became interested in this subject after watching an episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver that discussed the state of dialysis treatment in the United States. After my curiosity was piqued, I began researching on my own, which was how I learned about paired donations. The idea of giving one of your organs to a complete stranger in order to help a loved one inspired me, and from that inspiration arose Holly, Ben, and Marcus.

A great many things can result in kidney disease and eventual kidney failure, meaning no one person will have the same experience. However, if any of my readers have dealt with this disease and believe I misrepresented it, I apologize.

If you wish to learn more about kidney disease or if you are interested in the donation process, I encourage you to read up on the subject. A good place to start is www.kidney.org.

About the Author

Lauren Connolly works as a university librarian when she’s not crafting love stories. This means she’s used to researching random topics—from revitalizing rural communities in Japan to the stigma held against horse slaughter and consumption in the United States. (That last one was a bit difficult, what with her being a vegetarian, but she did it!)