NJ Nurse Donates Kidney to Dad, Now Champions Organ Donation

Karen Stash watched her father Oscar Salgado grow weaker with each dialysis session, knowing she had the power to change everything.

The 39-year-old registered nurse from Carteret, New Jersey, tested as a match for her father and didn't hesitate. On November 14, 2018, she donated one of her kidneys to Oscar, freeing him from the dialysis chair that had consumed his life three times a week.

"When it's your dad sitting in that dialysis chair, it becomes deeply personal," Karen said. "I wanted to give him more time, more freedom, and the chance to feel like himself again."

Oscar, a hardworking father of four from Union City, had been diagnosed with kidney failure. The condition took a heavy toll on both his body and spirit as he struggled through constant treatments.

Today, Oscar is thriving. "First and foremost, I thank Jehovah for his great mercy," he said. "I also thank my daughter Karen for giving me another chance at life."

For Karen, watching her father regain his independence has been life changing. "To see him no longer tied to dialysis, watch him enjoy time with my mom, my children, and our family again — that's everything," she said.

The Ripple Effect

Karen now works as captain of the 5K team at JFK University Medical Center in Edison, where she serves on the rapid response team. She leads coworkers, families, and transplant recipients in races that support NJ Sharing Network, the state's organ procurement organization.

Her advocacy work focuses especially on Hispanic communities, where conversations about organ donation are sometimes less common. "I want people to know that organ and tissue donation saves families," Karen explained.

She's participating in the upcoming "Celebration of Life" 5K race on June 7th at NJ Sharing Network headquarters. The event brings together thousands of participants to honor organ donors and recipients across New Jersey.

Karen's message is simple but powerful: donation doesn't just add years to someone's life, it adds life to their years. If she had to make the choice again, she says she'd do it in a heartbeat.