In Memoriam: Rene Rogers

by The Family of Rene Rogers

Adrienne "Rene" Rogers, born April 22, 1968, was an honor student from high school through college. After being diagnosed with kidney failure in 1988, Rene changed her college major from business administration to nephrology (the science that deals with the kidneys' functions and diseases). Rene was confident that she would make a great nephrologist by helping and understanding patients who would go through the same illness that she suffered with for so many years. After a period of three years on dialysis, and waiting for a kidney along with all the other illnesses that come along with kidney failure, family members were tested to see who could be a perfect match to give her a kidney. Only one out of Rene's one sister and two brothers was a match and that was her eldest brother Carlos Rogers, who was going off to college on a basketball scholarship. Although Carlos was ready and willing to give his sister one of his kidneys, Rene refused it. With her big heart and the abundance of love that she had for her brother, Rene expressed how important it was to her that Carlos complete his college education and work towards becoming an NBA superstar, while she continued to pray and wait for a cadaver kidney.

After waiting three years, her prayers were answered. Fate would have it that Henry Ford Hospital found a cadaver kidney for her. After the transplant, Rene recovered 100% and resumed community college where she graduated with honors, and was accepted into Wayne State Medical School where she would be able to study nephrology and become a kidney specialist.

Rene's dream to become a nephrologist would never come true. She became very ill and never recovered, passing away on January 24, 1997. However, the family vowed to keep her dream alive. It was important to us that her name live on in us, as well as in the public eye. We organized a foundation in her name. The "4Rene" Foundation was organized to help with medical research to find out the cause and effects of this disease. It is because of what Rene lived through that we urge people everywhere to become organ and tissue donors.

Rene left a great legacy for the family and others to hold on to. To God be the glory.