Kody Fox underwent a successful kidney transplant in June — and in the process saw God’s providential care in a multitude of ways.
Fox, 31, student pastor at Zion Baptist Church in Henderson, Kentucky, saw God’s provision not only in his life, but in the life of another family.
Fox became aware of his kidney problem about five years ago when he was student pastor at Southside Baptist Church in Princeton. August will mark his fourth year at Zion Baptist, and for the past three years he has waged an intense kidney battle with his wife, Emily, by his side. They also have a daughter, Eden, who they adopted in October 2023.
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“It was about three years ago we found out I needed a transplant, and for pretty much three years, we were looking for a donor,” he said. He was on a Vanderbilt Medical Center list of people seeking a donor, and he made social medial posts asking for people to apply.
“I don’t know the specific number of people who did apply, but it was quite a lot. They are so specific on how healthy a donor is, their health conditions, things like that.”
‘Nerve-wracking time’
A promising donor was found about a year ago. “A lady I grew up with in Ohio was getting tested and was far along in the process,” Fox recalled. “She was at that stage where they scanned the full body. They found a mass on her pancreas, so that process saved her life. She is doing fine now. I thanked her (for being willing to be a donor) but she was thanking us at the same time. She is still alive with her kids and husband.”
That development is what Fox believes spurred his brother-in-law, Stephen Bush (married to Kody’s sister, Kasey), to see if he might be a potential donor. He is in his late 20s.
“He told us after Christmas last year he was getting tested. From then until May he was in the testing process.” Fox received the news in May that his brother-in-law was a match, and learned the transplant might be in June.
“They did testing two weeks before the surgery, and it could have still been called off until the day before the surgery, so it was a pretty nerve-wracking time.”
Fox and his brother-in-law are lifelong friends. “We grew up together and have been best friends since childhood. We did a Bible study for Vacation Bible School growing up, and I remember us spending three days decorating the church. It’s crazy he was the one who matched me almost perfectly. God just used him in a special way.”
Bush’s surgery to remove one of his kidneys was in Cincinnati on June 17. The kidney was flown to Nashville where it was transplanted. “There will never be enough words for how grateful we are for this gift that Stephen is choosing to give,” wrote Emily Fox in a Facebook post. “Long before Kody and Stephen were brother-in-laws, they were best friends. They are always having a good time together. Thankful for this sacrifice and answered prayer.”
Looking back over the lengthy time that people were tested but didn’t meet the criteria as a donor, Kody said “we got to the point that we started expecting everyone to fail the test.”
God’s plan
Then came the time that the tumor was found on the potential donor, eliminating that possibility. “We said what else are we going to do, we just needed to wait and see what would happen. I think Stephen felt our need. He was willing to step out on faith — it was God’s plan all along.
“God taught us a lot about patience and His timing and I think He used those three years to teach us and show us how to be grateful.”
Emily posted on Facebook that both men are doing well. “Kody is on his way to recovery … and will go back for follow-ups once a week for a while for the doctors to check labs and make sure all is well with the new kidney. Stephen is recovering well, too, and his body is working on adjusting to having one kidney.”
Kody noted that before his surgery his kidney function was at the 15% level. The most recent test showed kidney function at 87%. “I definitely have so much more energy and internally I feel a lot better. I don’t feel the need to sit down and take a nap.”
He does joke that having his brother-in-law’s kidney may be affecting his sleep routine. “He is an electrician and gets up about 5 a.m. and is out the door at 6. I don’t get up that early — I get to the church about 8. But since that transplant I have not slept past 5:30.” That has prompted Kody to tell his brother-in-law, “Your kidney keeps waking me up!”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Chip Hutcheson and originally published by Kentucky Today.
