Before this past summer, Eli Blevins and Ferrum College tennis student-athlete Kevin Board were co-workers who were friendly to each other, but far from friends. But, after Blevins donated one of his kidneys to Board, the two are now linked by friendship and much more.

At 6 years old, Board was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura, an inflammation of blood vessels that can, in rare cases like Board’s, cause high blood pressure and kidney problems. Though he fatigued faster because of the disease, it didn’t stop him for doing anything, including playing high school baseball. In fact, he had planned on joining the squad at Ferrum when he arrived on campus three years ago. When those plans fell through, he approached head tennis coach Gary Holden about earning a spot on the tennis team.

Although Board had never played tennis, his game steadily improved even as the function of his kidneys declined to 30 percent. During his sophomore year, doctors informed him that he needed a kidney transplant. Without one, he faced dialysis treatments.

In spite of the prognosis, Board continued to compete and eventually earned a starting slot in singles and doubles last season as the Panthers’ fifth best player. However, because he fatigued so quickly, Board limited his play to doubles. Meanwhile, the search for a donor began.

Family, friends, fraternity brothers, Ferrum teammates and Holden were tested without finding a match. He also went on a waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor, but faced a years-long wait. By last spring, his kidney function had dropped to about 10 percent. Time was running out. He needed a new kidney by the end of the summer to avoid dialysis.

Board met Blevins in May. Blevins, an assistant manager at f.y.e., a music store in Roanoke, Virginia, hired Board. In the course of working together, Board’s search for a donor came up in conversation.

“Once he found out I needed a kidney, he got tested right away,” Board recalled. “He didn’t tell me he was going to get tested. He told the store manager.”

In fact, Blevins didn’t tell Board he was getting tested until afterward.

Surprised, and overwhelmingly grateful for the gesture, Board discovered in August that Blevins was a match. “The crazy thing was that we were getting down to feeling pretty desperate about the situation,” said Board, who remembered praying the night before he heard the good news. “I promised to make a difference in this world for the better. The next morning I wake up thinking that it was going to be a good day. Then I heard that news and it blew my mind.”

The transplant process for organ donors can be as rigorous as it is for recipients, and Board had had a likely match pull out before. Bolstered by Blevins’ continual reassurance that he was committed to seeing the procedure through, Board grew confident that his prayers were about to be answered.

It wasn’t until the October 18 surgery was successfully completed that Board began contemplating his future. With no complications, infections, or signs of rejection, that future is now wide open. He has resumed daily activities, including returning to work at f.y.e. He expects to be fully recovered by early next year. Board also is targeting next year for returning to tennis.

Board said his recent experience has increased his faith in people, and perhaps more importantly, taught him the importance of helping others and hopes to one day be in a position to assist those in need.

“While I was in the hospital, I saw a lot of good people who needed assistance and they didn’t have it, whether it was money or something else. Money is a big thing. I’d like to see more families and people who need help get the help they need,” he said.

In addition to regaining his health, Board also has gained a friend in Blevins. “He’s one of my best friends now. I’ll do anything for him.”

Board, a junior sports management major, is on pace to graduate in May 2009.