Gift Of Life: Kidney Donation Bonds Oklahoma Friends

Two friends, Carly Rae and Chitra Ayyaru Franks, couldn't be any more different -- but it's what's on the inside that will tie these two together for life.

News 9's Mike Glover shows us in Thursday night's Something Good.

It's a friendship that was meant to happen.

"We met when we were working at Tyler Media. Chitra worked in sales. I worked in country radio," Carly said.

The connection was instant.

"We've gone to many concerts together. We went through confirmation together. She's my daughter's Godmother," Carly added.

When Chitra was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, followed by a massive stroke, it deeply affected Carly.

"There were just these moments where we were like, 'Oh my gosh, we almost lost her,'" she said.

The health challenges took a toll on Chitra's kidneys, something she hid from almost everyone. The doctors at INTEGRIS were doing everything they can to ensure that her Stage 4 kidney failure didn't progress to Stage 5.

Chitra needed a kidney transplant, and with her blood type, the wait time was four to five years.

She finally had to tell her friend, Carly.

"She said, 'Cheech,'... she calls me Cheech. 'Cheech, I want to get tested. I said, 'Carly, you've got a new baby. You just got married. Let me get on the list.' She got tested before my son could get tested," Chitra said.

And when the results came in...

Chitra said, "She texted me, 'Can you talk?' It was too soon for good news, I was sure. She said, 'Chitra, I'm a 100 percent match!' She was so excited, and I started crying. I told you I am emotional."

So, the morning of the transplant, Dr. Shea Samara prepares for a normal day's work that he still considers a miracle.

"I would say probably 50 percent of our living donors are not related donors, but friends," he said.

He said every transplant feels like the first one all over again.

"You get that excitement every time you see that kidney start to pink up and start to work when you put it in," Dr. Samara said.

We talked to Carly minutes before her surgery.

"Man, it's early. I thought I would have a lot of anxiety this morning, but my biggest complaint is that I just haven't had coffee, and I haven't eaten since Saturday. But if that's my biggest complaint, my life is great," she said.

For Chitra, it was a time to reflect.

"I said, God saved me from my breast cancer, my stroke. The stroke was really bad, and now He's given me another chance," Chitra said.

It takes about six hours for the total procedure, and interestingly, Chitra's non-functioning kidneys won't be removed.

"So, she'll wake up with a third kidney, but only one of them will be functioning normally," Dr. Samara said.

Carly and Chitra reunited for the first time the day after the surgery.

"I got a little teary-eyed," Carly said. "It's all worth it to go across that hall and see my friend more alive than she has been in so long, and her body immediately accepted the kidney."

Chitra said, "She walked over here, saw me, and I was just happy to see her. I look at her differently now. I don't look at her as old Carly. It's different. She gave me life.