Alberta woman marks 50 years with late sister’s kidney

April 6, 2026

Beverly Sharp-Samograd, left, and her sister Donna Lee Stavropoulos (née Sharp) pose for a newspaper article. Donna saved Beverly’s life by giving her a kidney in 1975.

Beverly Sharp-Samograd, left, and her sister Donna Lee Stavropoulos (née Sharp) pose for a newspaper article. Donna saved Beverly’s life by giving her a kidney in 1975. Photo courtesy of Beverly Sharp-Samograd.

Marrying her husband Marvin Samograd is one of the many precious moments Beverly had the chance to experience over the past 50 years, thanks to Donna’s gift.

Marrying her husband Marvin Samograd is one of the many precious moments Beverly had the chance to experience over the past 50 years, thanks to Donna’s gift. Photo courtesy of Beverly Sharp-Samograd.

Donna died a few months before she and Beverly could celebrate the 50th anniversary of their transplant together.

Donna died a few months before she and Beverly could celebrate the 50th anniversary of their transplant together. Photo courtesy of Beverly Sharp-Samograd.

Transplant milestone considered “exceptionally rare”

Story by Su-Ling Goh | Photos courtesy of Beverly Sharp-Samograd

VEGREVILLE — Fifty years ago, Beverly Sharp-Samograd’s sister saved her life by giving her a kidney. That gift of an extra five decades is not only precious to Beverly — it’s remarkable in the transplant world.

Dr. Sita Gourishankar explains most living donor kidneys only last for about 10 to 20 years.

“A living donor kidney functioning well for more than 50 years is exceptionally rare in transplant medicine and represents a truly extraordinary outcome,” says Gourishankar, director of Alberta Health Services’ Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program.

Beverly was born with Bright’s Disease, now known as nephritis — a serious inflammation of the kidneys. By the time she was a teenager, she needed a dialysis machine to filter her blood for three days a week, up to eight hours a day.

“As I went through school, I was getting more and more tired.… In high school I didn't even have the energy to study,” recalls Beverly. Her parents and all eight of her siblings were willing to donate a kidney and went through testing. In 1973, her father donated, but his kidney only lasted five days.

By 1975, at the age of 21, Beverly had suffered life-threatening complications. That’s when her sister, then-20-year-old Donna Lee Stavropoulos (née Sharp), insisted on donating. She was a 90-per-cent match.

“To me, it gave me a total new lease on life to have a kidney transplant (from Donna),” says Beverly. “I went back to hairstyling school.… I had already started it right after I graduated (high school).… I was able to finish my course.”

Beverly says giving came easily to Donna, who always loved to take care of others. They grew up on a mixed farm near Innisfree, Alberta.

“We were sort of brought up … if somebody was less fortunate than ourselves … if you can help them, to help them.”

Beverly also credits her health to the outstanding care she received from “amazing” University of Alberta Hospital physicians Dr. Ray Ulan, Dr. Donald Silverberg and Dr. Sita Gourishankar, along with their respective teams.

The 50th anniversary of the sisters’ transplant surgery was in November 2025. They had planned to celebrate together, but Donna passed away a few months earlier in July.

Beverly feels part of her sister lives on in her. When the now-retired hairstylist looks back at the extra 50 years Donna gifted her, she’s grateful for every moment she would have missed.

“Marrying my husband and getting to know him and his children, all the family weddings and celebrations and dances and trips ... I've always been appreciative. And (Donna) always knew that.”

More than 500 people are waiting for life-saving transplants in Alberta. For more information on organ and tissue donation, visit GiveLifeAlberta.ca.