By Abby Ann Ramsey Peters (’24)
Jennifer Shearer Miller has spent considerable time at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Nursing.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in 2001 and her PhD in 2019 from the college. Now, she’s an assistant professor.
Despite her time in the college, she had never met Katie Kiser, a 2015 College of Nursing graduate—until Kiser donated a kidney that would change the lives of the Millers.
Thomas Miller, the son of Jennifer and Joseph Miller, is four years old and was diagnosed with bladder outlet obstruction—a condition that can cause kidney damage—while Jennifer was pregnant with him.
Now, thanks to Kiser’s undeniable Volunteer spirit and self-sacrifice, Thomas is on the road to recovery and beginning to feel like a normal kid.
The Search for a Donor
When Thomas was diagnosed, doctors prepared the Millers for the possibility that he would need a kidney transplant.
His early childhood consisted of bouts of flu and RSV that frequently left him hospitalized, often with extended periods of ventilator support. Doctors had initially estimated that Thomas wouldn’t need a new kidney until ages 8–12, but his evaluations for a new kidney began at just three years old.
Both Jennifer and Joseph were quick to volunteer to donate their own kidneys to their son, but neither one was a match. The family decided to start searching for a living donor.
They started sharing Thomas’s story on social media, asking people to see if they could match or spread the word to others. They would soon come to know Kiser, a fellow member of the Volunteer family.
“I’ve Been There.”
Kiser has a background in pediatric nursing and came across Thomas’s story while scrolling Facebook.
The thought of a family member needing a donation tugged at Kiser’s heart. That feeling wasn’t new to her.
Kiser’s sister was diagnosed with aplastic anemia—bone marrow failure—when she was 24. The only cure was a bone marrow transplant. Kiser was a perfect match and underwent a surgical marrow harvest to donate to her sister.
She and her family knew what it was like to be in the Millers’ shoes, and she and Jennifer Miller shared a connection to UT’s nursing program. This time, it was a member of the Volunteer family that needed her help.
“I saw his picture and just thought, ‘I’ve been there,’” says Kiser. “I didn’t know them, but I knew that feeling of helplessly waiting for a donor.”
Before reaching out to the Millers, she contacted Emory Transplant Center to begin the donor evaluation process. She didn’t want to give the family false hope in case she wasn’t a match.
After countless tests and workups, she found out she was a match in April 2025. At the same time, Thomas was critically ill in the ICU. After he regained his strength, the transplant surgery was scheduled for that September.
“It was an amazing feeling,” says Jennifer Miller. “It gave us something to look forward to. We were going to get there. We were going to get that kidney.”
For UT graduates, we’re like family. It’s what we hope our graduates do—that they go out and make a difference.”
Jennifer Shearer Miller (’01, ’19)
Jennifer Miller (Right) and Kiser (left) have both spent time in UT’s College of Nursing, but they met for the first time the night before the kidney transplant.
The Road to Recovery
The night before the surgery, the Millers met Kiser, all of them tearful and struggling to find words.
“She gave of herself to make sure that this little boy she didn’t know had the best chance at a long, healthy life,” says Jennifer Miller.
For Kiser, the surgery was easier than she expected. She was up walking that night and felt like herself within a few weeks.
“I feel like I lost nothing, and he gained everything,” says Kiser.
The recovery process was more demanding for Thomas, but now, six months later, his lab results are strong. He has more energy, he’s speaking more, and his appetite has significantly improved.
“He just truly feels like he should feel,” says Jennifer Miller.
The Power of Living Donation
When the Millers found out Thomas would need a transplant, they knew they wanted to prioritize a living donor. Living donor transplants result in better long-term outcomes and greater durability, which is important for pediatric patients who may eventually need another transplant.
Now, the Millers and Kiser are advocates for the power of living donation. Joseph Miller donated a kidney anonymously to a recipient in Utah after finding out he wasn’t a match for Thomas.
“Living donors truly make a difference,” says Jennifer Miller. “They really, really make a difference in somebody’s life.”
Kiser didn’t realize how accessible it is to complete a living kidney donation for anyone who wants to help save lives. It was a process throughout which she was thoroughly evaluated and could opt out at any time.
“Ninety thousand people are waiting for a kidney,” says Kiser. “This is something we can do right now.”
Half a year out from the surgery, Kiser and the Millers are close family friends. They recently participated in the Lucky Kidney Run in Knoxville to help support the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation together and have stayed in touch since the transplant.
“I feel like our story is just getting started,” says Kiser.
Thomas’s donor wasn’t a family member but having that mutual connection to UT united the Millers and Kiser even before the surgery.
“For UT graduates, we’re like family,” says Jennifer Miller. “It’s what we hope our graduates do—that they go out and make a difference.”
