https://iuhealth.org/transplant, https://rileychildrens.org/transplant

IU Health Transplant, Indianapolis, IN (2026)

06/03/2026

05/28/2026

Patient’s husband: ‘She’s a walking miracle’
On a recent weekday Tamara Sanders and her husband Jeff made a familiar trip from Muncie, Ind. to IU Health University Hospital.
This trip wasn’t like many in the past. Tamara was not hospitalized for an extended time. She came in for a regular checkup and consultation with Dr. Muhammad S. Yaqub, who specializes in nephrology and kidney diseases.
Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Tamara, 52, has been insulin dependent most of her life. A native of Delaware County, she worked at Sears for 18 years, leaving the year before the store closed its doors to the public.
It wasn’t until she was in her 30s that her diagnosis was changed to Type 2 diabetes. Over time, she experienced various health issues – Fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, and diastolic heart failure.
“When she was pregnant, we had the fire department at our house five times to bring her out of insulin shock,” said her husband. The couple has been married 33 years and has one daughter, 30.
As Tamara’s health declined, her kidneys began failing. In 2007 she received a kidney-pancreas transplant and was in the surgical care of Dr. Jonathan Fridell. “After her transplant she was insulin-free for three years. Then her body stopped absorbing the insulin, so she was back on the pump. Some days she would have a high sugar in the morning and drop low in the evening,” said Jeff.
They’ve worked through the health challenges together.
In 2020, when Tamara developed hernias she faced other challenges – developing pneumonia and eventually receiving a tracheostomy to help her breath. For a time, she was in ICU and on continuous dialysis. “We needed to give the new kidney time to function. We listened to the advice of our transplant doctors and here she is,” said Jeff.
“I can’t say enough about the fantastic care we have received. All the nurses, doctors, techs – everyone we meet – has been top notch,” said Jeff.
Now they return to Indianapolis every 30 days so Tamara can receive immunosuppression (anti-rejection) medication.
“It gives us a chance to see everyone and check in,” said Tamara. “People always ask how I’m doing and I say, ‘I’m blessed.’” Her husband adds: “She’s a walking miracle. If it wasn’t for organ donation she wouldn’t be here.”
-By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, [email protected]