Barringer happy to donate kidney to aid supervisor
Photo: Amy Barringer, with family members and supervisors, Monday received a proclamation of thanks for her kidney donation to Supervisor Jessie Medlin. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Feb. 5, 2025-Amy Barringer is one kidney lighter than when she went into a hospital to be a kidney donor for DeSoto County Supervisor Jessie Medlin. But Barringer said Monday she is happy the donation has taken Medlin off dialysis and given him a new and better life.
Barringer is a lieutenant in the Fairhaven Volunteer Fire Department. She is also a dialysis nurse with the global healthcare company Fresenius.
Last year, she and Medlin met at a fire department event and that was when Barringer learned that Medlin was undergoing dialysis and was in need of a new kidney.
After tests were done to be certain Medlin and Barringer matched, the procedure was done on Nov. 21, 2024.
As a means of thanks and also to promote kidney and organ donation, the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors recognized Barringer and declared Monday a special day in her honor.
“Amy Barringer’s heroism goes beyond her service as a firefighter and emergency medical responder,” said Supervisor Medlin. “She literally gave a part of herself to save another life; mine. I will forever be grateful for her selflessness and courage.”
For Barringer, it was another way she could help others, even those she knew, like Medlin.
“I wanted Jesse to have a normal life, you know, again, because the grandkids could have more time with him,” Barringer said. “I give a lot to the community. I enjoy it and I love our community. I grew up in Olive Branch. I’ve been at Olive Branch for 40 years. So definitely, I’ve served the community a lot over the years.”
At the chance meeting last year, Barringer heard Medlin talk to someone about being on dialysis and needing a kidney. Without hesitation, she offered to be a donor and turned out to be a match.
Donation is an easy process, Barringer said, adding she got a lot of backing for offering to donate to Medlin.
“I just appreciate my family, the community support, the fire department, and what became a huge support system,” Barringer said. “I feel brave now and I’ve been back at work for about six weeks. My energy level may be a little different now, but it just takes time to heal. I mean, your body’s trying to compensate with one kidney, and that kidney will grow to do the function of two kidneys.”
It was pointed out Monday during the presentation to Barringer that a transplant journey is emotional, spiritual, and mental, but it is a satisfying endeavor to give something that would help someone else.
The American Kidney Fund reports that the number of people living with kidney failure has increased by 26 percent since 2011 and kidney disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Two years ago, only one in three people in Mississippi on the kidney transplant list received a kidney.
The Mississippi state Legislature last year passed House Bill 1213, a bill that makes it illegal for an insurer to deny health or life insurance coverage solely because the insured is a living organ donor. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves on April 17.
