Donating a kidney has turned Heidi Miller and Jim Doti into crusaders in their desire to encourage others to do the same
The Back Story
Jim Doti and Heidi Miller knew each other, but not well, before their lives became inexorably linked by their altruistic decision to donate a kidney to someone dying of kidney disease.
Doti, Chapman University President Emeritus and current economics professor at the university, had seen Heidi’s posts on Facebook about donating her kidney.
“I was so inspired by her, it got me to thinking about doing it,” he says.
So, Doti contacted the UCI Kidney Transplant Program to find out that he was too old to do it. Seventy was the cut-off, and he was 72. Then, Doti found out about an 83-year-old man in Great Britain who had donated a kidney, and he asked again. Because he appeared to be in excellent shape, having run marathons and climbed most of the world’s seven major mountain peaks, Dr. Uttam Reddy, Director of the Transplant Program, said he could be tested. He passed with flying colors, Santa Ana-based Jose Tolento was selected from the waiting list, and the journey began. There are 120,000 people on the organ transplant list, mostly for kidneys, and only 20,000 a year find a kidney, with thirteen dying every day.
Miller, 63, known for her non-fat Heidi’s Frozen Yogurt chain in the 1980s and current owner of Tight Assets women’s clothing store in Laguna Beach, became aware of Los Angeles Times columnist and Bay Window editor Bruce Cook’s need for a kidney when her good friend Carol Lee took her to dinner for her birthday in July, 2018. Lee had attended a party given by Carol Pickup at Balboa Bay Resort, where Cook publicly stated his need for a kidney to get the word out. Lee told Miller that no one had come forward to donate a kidney, and it was six weeks later.
“Carol said Bruce didn’t have much time left,” Heidi remembers. “So I told her I wanted to get this started and if I couldn’t be his donor, I would find someone who could.”
The next day, Miller called Bruce. When they found out they were the same blood type, Miller said everything fell into place.
Good Roots
Both Miller and Doti credit their parents with instilling in them the idea of giving back. Heidi’s father, Dr. Alan Miller, a UC Berkeley professor of environmental ethics for 25 years, was a minister first and together with Heidi’s mother, Barbara, raised money and built 12 schools to feed the poor and educate two million school children in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Alan and Barbara Miller, Heidi’s 92-year-old father and 89-year-old mother. 
Carmelina and Roy Doti, Jim’s parents, now deceased, on their wedding day
Case in point is Heidi giving her best friend Terry Reisdorf a bone marrow transplant in 1991, after which she lived 23 years.
“My parents, Carmelina and Roy Doti, both deceased, were givers, especially my mother,” Jim says. “She always said the most important thing we can do in life is to help other people.”
The Process
Then, there were the families to convince.
“My wife Lynne and my kids were concerned it would affect my health, so I did some research and found through a Johns Hopkins Hospital study comparing kidney donors to non-donors that kidney donors live longer,” Jim says.
“My dad was worried about what would happen if my one kidney gave out, and I assured him I would go to the top of the transplant list,” Heidi says. “Besides, God gave us two kidneys, and you only need one.”
Both Jim and Heidi say the tests they went through to get ready for the surgery were extensive, including meeting psychiatrists and social workers, and even an ombudsman!
The Surgeries
Heidi’s and Bruce’s surgeries occurred November 17, 2017 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Bruce’s family was there for support, as was Heidi’s friend Carol, who had taken her to LA for all her appointments and was responsible for her post-surgery. Bruce, 66, a diabetic who had been on dialysis three times a week for 5.5 years, was actually close to death and so weak the doctors thought they might have to cancel the surgery. The doctors later told Heidi that the minute they put her healthy kidney in, Bruce’s color went from gray to pink in five seconds.
The date for Jim’s and Jose’s surgeries was March 18, 2019, at the UCI Health Douglas Hospital in Orange. Jose, 52, a cabinetmaker, had been on dialysis three times a week for six years. His daughter-in-law Adriana Morales remembers seeing Jose’s eyes filled with tears of joy as he was being wheeled into surgery. Within hours after the surgery, the entire Torento family was in Jim’s hospital room expressing their gratitude for his sacrifice.
“Jose’s daughter Leticia hugged me and wouldn’t let go,” Jim says. “When I felt that hug, I knew I had made the right decision.”
Jim and Heidi 24 hours after his surgery 
Heidi with Bruce 20 minutes before she went into surgery
Post-Op
Heidi, known for her fitness regimen, was back to work and working out within two weeks of surgery. Bruce has done very well with the much-improved anti-rejection drugs. Jim was back to teaching in nine days (he scheduled the surgery over spring break) and running a 5k in five weeks. Jose is recovering well and looking forward to returning to work soon.
Changed Lives
“My gift to Bruce is the gift that keeps on giving,” Heidi says. “It’s spurned an advocacy in me to bring awareness of the need out there. I’ve inspired people, and now Jim will too. It’s changed our lives. We each saved a life. And we’ll continue saving others. I love speaking to kidney support groups. The attendees are all in need of a kidney transplant to live. I tell them my story and it gives them hope that they too can find a donor.”
“To know that my small sacrifice would have that impact on another family is something that helps give my life new meaning and significance,” Jim says. “I hope to inspire someone else to give a kidney and keep Heidi’s chain alive.”
Moving Forward
Heidi is establishing a Living Donor Transplants Foundation to find more kidney donors, and Bruce will be right there with her, as will Jim. She has mentored 60 people in the past year, matched 17 and nine have had the surgery.
Due to her advocacy, she has been selected to be on the 15th Annual Donate Life Rose Bowl Parade float this year. There will be eight recipients and eight donors on the float, and each is raising $10,000 to help pay for the effort. Heidi has already raised the money, with Jim contributing $1,000.
Jim and Heidi recently participated in the 17th Annual Donate Life Run/Walk & Family Festival at Cal State Fullerton, which benefited the OneLegacy Foundation to inspire the community about organ and tissue donations. They were asked to release white doves to honor living and deceased donors before they both ran their 5k’s.
In Conclusion
It is amazing to think that Heidi stepped up to give a kidney to someone she didn’t know personally and that Jim gave anonymously and that they are now on a quest to enlist others in the effort.
Bruce puts it in perspective, “How do you thank someone who gives you part of their body to save your life? Both Heidi and I will continue to pay the blessing forward because so many people are in desperate need.”
As Heidi says so succinctly, “Share your spare, baby!”
For more info, contact Heidi at HeidiMillerKidneyDonor@gmail.com or Dr. Reddy at KGunsolu@UCI.edu
Cutline: There are 120,000 people on the organ transplant list, mostly for kidneys, and only 20,000 a year find a kidney, with thirteen dying every day.
Pull Quote: “How do you thank someone who gives you part of their body to save your life? Both Heidi and I will continue to pay the blessing forward because so many people are in desperate need.” – Bruce Cook
“To know that my small sacrifice would have that impact on another family is something that helps give my life new meaning and significance. I hope to inspire someone else to give a kidney and keep Heidi’s chain alive.” – Jim Doti
