'A Second Life:' Norman Community Christian School Band Director Reunites With His Kidney Donor

Several members make up a band, each with a role to play. Community Christian School band director Dennis Sharp brings students together to create one unified sound. The selfless act of another person gave him a second chance in life.

Friday night lights set the stage, bringing many students together as one team.

“[Music] is joy, it’s happiness,” Sharp said. “That’s my superpower — a coach, a teacher, a counselor all rolled into one.”

Sharp drums up the energy on game day. He comes from a family of musicians.

“It was kinda what we did,” Sharp said.

However, he has overcome adversity off the field.

“It was rough because I was not in a good place physically,” Sharp said.

Rachel Allen witnessed his health decline.

“It was really hard,” Allen said.

Allen is the former director of nursing at the INTEGRIS Health Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute.

“She saw that on a daily basis,” Sharp said.

Allen knows the power of organ donation. In 2022, Sharp needed a new kidney.

“You can help somebody,” Allen said. “I trusted my team; the transplant team.”

Feeling a calling, Allen donated one of her kidneys to Sharp.

“I was completely overwhelmed with joy and humbleness,” Sharp said.

Sharp and Allen have known each other since high school.

“I’ve had both of her sons in band,” Sharp said.

Sharp’s health has drastically improved since the transplant.

“I don’t even notice — I just live life now,” he said. “Since then, I have been amazing.”

Sharp and Allen said the key to a fulfilling life can be found when people come together.

“It really means a second life,” Sharp said.

Because teamwork might save someone’s life.

“We are called to serve, and we are called to give,” Allen said.

Sharp and Allen hope more people will consider organ donation. Oklahomans have three options to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor: Residents can sign up when renewing their driver’s license, visit LifeShareRegistry.org to sign up online or call 800-826-LIFE (5433) and request a donor registration form.