Emory Healthcare is the leading transplant program in the country for kidney and living donor transplants, performing more than 13,000 organ transplants thus far. An Atlanta man and his sister, who lives in Florida, are two of those patients. 

Ashley Bellamy, 36, describes her relationship with her brother, Patrick, as inseparable. Although always close and only displaying sibling rivalry when sports are involved, their bond now even tighter.

“I would do anything for my brother,” says Ashley.

Her brother, Patrick Bellamy, 41, a husband and father of three, says he could feel his body shutting down in November 2025. Since birth, he has lived with bilateral hydronephrosis, a kidney disease, which causes kidneys to swell due to urine blockage, leading to kidney failure. 

“When you’ve been sick for so long, you get tired of hurting,” says Patrick. “I was so sick and trying to even take five steps became difficult.”

After nearly two years of dialysis, tests showed he needed a kidney transplant and fast.

“My family went through the screening process, including my siblings. I’m the eldest three; I have a brother and sister who are fraternal twins and my sister, Ashley, was a match,” explains Patrick. 

During an Atlanta Braves Living Donor Awareness baseball game, the Georgia Transplant Foundation recognized the siblings and Emory Healthcare transplant surgeons for their commitment to living donor transplantation. 

“We just feel immensely grateful that we get to change lives. But, none of it would be possible without the donors,” says Octav Cristea, MD, transplant surgeon with Emory Healthcare and Ashley’s physician.“Donors transform the lives of their loved ones and the lives of strangers. They also transform our lives by showing such generosity.”

Both Patrick and Ashley are recovering well with Patrick now only visiting doctors for routine checkups. 

“From nurses to doctors, everyone at Emory Healthcare is great! I always feel heard,” says Patrick. “My sister has shown me agape love. I owe her a lot, and she has changed my quality of life.”

Now, the brother-sister duo is able to get back to their competitive but loving sibling rivalry in an active and healthy way.

“It makes me feel honored every time I think about being a donor. I get teary-eyed,” says Ashley. “It was never even a question to donate.”