Watch Video: Kidney Transplant Unites Two Ole Miss Colleagues

Kidney Transplant
Kidney transplant recipient Charlotte Pegues (right) gets a warm embrace from her living donor and friend Leslie Banahan. (Photo by Robert Jordan, UM Imaging Services)

A crisis situation often reveals who one’s true friends are. University of Mississippi colleagues Charlotte Pegues and Leslie Banahan discovered the depths of their friendship recently when a health crisis for the former brought the latter to her rescue.

Three years ago, Pegues’ kidneys began to fail, eventually placing her in dire need of a transplant. Soon after hearing the news, Banahan volunteered to donate one of her own kidneys. Physicians determined the two were a match and the successful operation was performed June 9 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

“I feel like Leslie is my sister,” said Pegues, assistant provost for academic affairs and registrar. “I want to repay her in some way, but she said this was a gift. It’s a God thing!”

Banahan, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, said she is grateful and honored that she was able to be there for her friend.

CLICK here to read the entire story.

Written by Edwin Smith and Ruth Cummins .

Follow HottyToddy.com on InstagramTwitter and Snapchat @hottytoddynews. Like its Facebook page: If You Love Oxford and Ole Miss…

2026 Rebels Football

Sun, Sept. 6vs Louisville, Nashville6:30 PM, ABC
Sat, Sep 12vs Charlotte6:45 PM, ESPN2/SECN
Sat, Sep 19LSU6:30 PM, ABC
Sat, Sep 26@ FloridaTBD
Sat, Oct 10@ VanderbiltTBD
Sat, Oct 17MissouriTBD
Sat, Oct 24@ TexasTBD
Sat, Oct 31vs AuburnTBD
Sat, Nov 7vs GeorgiaTBD
Sat, Nov 14@ OklahomaTBD
Sat, Nov 21vs WoffordTBD
Sat, Nov 28vs Mississippi State11:00 AM, ABC