After receiving life-saving liver transplant, Aiea man hopes to inspire organ donors

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Queens Medical Center is celebrating 10 years of organ transplants but the work continues with more than 600 people in the Pacific Rim on the waitlist.

Reyn Kimura was just one of the people on that waitlist.

Last April, the Aiea man was waiting for a liver transplant.

At age 35, Kimura’s health was rapidly declining.

“I just wanted to call it quits,” said Kimura. “I said, I’m done.”

After months in the hospital holding on for his life, Kimura received the blessing he had been praying for, doctors had found him a donor

Kimura not only walks these days. He bikes, he hikes, he travels.

On Tuesday he joined The Queen’s Organ Transplant Center to mark its 10th anniversary and inspire people to become an organ donors.

“Thank you to The Queens Transplant Program. All the donors and families of the donors,” said Kimura. “I am here today alive and well because of all of you. You saved my life. Aloha.”

The Queen’s Organ Transplant Center is the only one of its kind in the Pacific Rim.

So far, they’ve performed nearly 700 liver, kidney and pancreas transplants.

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