There is no music quite as sweet as the steady beep of a hospital monitor when it signals a successful recovery, and this Saturday morning, that music is playing a symphony of hope for a family from Pell City. While many are waking up to their usual weekend routines, Robert and Candice Clough are waking up to a brand-new reality—one defined not by the shadow of chronic illness, but by the overwhelming light of a second chance.
At UAB Hospital in Birmingham, a facility renowned for its groundbreaking transplant work, a quiet but profound act of heroism took place yesterday. It wasn’t a headline-grabbing feat of strength or a public display of bravado; it was a private, surgical exchange of life fueled by a love that knows no bounds. Candice Clough went into the operating room to give a piece of herself—literally—to her 48-year-old husband, Robert.
The Long Road to 5 Percent
To understand the magnitude of this Saturday morning’s “Good News,” one must understand the grueling journey that led the Cloughs to the halls of UAB. Robert has been locked in a long-standing battle with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). For those unfamiliar with the condition, PKD is a relentless genetic disorder that causes numerous cysts to grow in the kidneys. Over time, these cysts enlarge the kidneys and eventually strip them of their function.
For Robert, the battle had reached a critical, life-threatening juncture. His kidney function had plummeted to a staggering 5 percent. In medical terms, this is the end stage; it is the point where the body can no longer sustain itself, where exhaustion becomes a permanent resident, and where the future becomes a series of “ifs” rather than “whens.” At 5 percent, life is measured in dialysis sessions and the hope for a phone call that a donor has been found.
But Robert didn’t have to wait for a stranger’s call. He found his miracle right across the breakfast table.
“Enter Candice to the Rescue”
We often hear the phrase “in sickness and in health” during wedding vows, but rarely do we see it tested with such surgical precision. Candice Clough didn’t just offer her husband emotional support; she offered him her own vitality.
The decision to become a living donor is never a light one. It involves months of rigorous testing, psychological evaluations, and the inherent risks of major surgery. Yet, for Candice, the choice was clear. She wasn’t just saving a patient; she was saving her husband, the father of her children, and her partner in life.
Yesterday, they went under the knife together. In one room, a healthy kidney was carefully removed from Candice. In another, it was meticulously transplanted into Robert. It is a modern medical marvel—a transfer of hope from one body to another.
A Perfect Function
The best news of all arrived this morning. Candice reached out to share the update that every transplant family prays for: The kidney is functioning to perfection. In the world of organ transplantation, the first 24 hours are critical. The moment a donor kidney begins to work in its new home, it’s like a light switch being flipped in a dark room. The toxins that have been building up in Robert’s system are finally being cleared. The color returns to the skin, the fog lifts from the mind, and the “5 percent” starts to climb toward a future of health.
Candice, ever the resilient soul, is recovering so well that she is scheduled to be discharged tomorrow. She will head home to Pell City to start her own recovery process, carrying with her the incredible knowledge that her husband is quite literally carrying a part of her spirit and body within him. Robert will remain under the expert care of the UAB staff for about a week, ensuring that the new kidney continues its perfect performance and that his body adjusts to its new lease on life.
A Legacy of Health and Happiness
This story is a powerful reminder of the impact of organ donation, especially living donation. While Robert’s struggle with PKD was a heavy burden, the Clough family’s story today is one of pure triumph. It is a story that reminds us that even when the “function” of our lives seems to be failing, love can step in to bridge the gap.
As Robert begins his week of recovery at UAB, he does so with a different heart—not just because of the new kidney, but because of the profound sacrifice made by his wife. The road to full recovery will take time, patience, and plenty of rest, but the hardest part of the mountain has been climbed.
To the Clough family: Pell City, Birmingham, and everyone reading your story today are standing in your corner. We see your bravery. We see your love. And we celebrate this “perfect” new beginning with you.
Let’s all take a moment to congratulate Robert and Candice. Let’s flood them with the kind of positive energy that speeds up healing. May the coming years be filled with “decades of health and happiness,” free from the constraints of PKD, and full of the simple joys that a healthy life allows—long walks, deep breaths, and many more Saturday mornings spent together, not in a hospital, but in the warmth of their own home.
A Note of Gratitude
A special thank you to Candice for sharing these intimate and inspiring pictures. By allowing us a glimpse into their journey, they aren’t just sharing their personal news; they are raising awareness for Polycystic Kidney Disease and the life-saving power of organ donation. They are turning their private trial into a public testimony of hope.
Congratulations, Robert and Candice. Your UAB miracle is just the beginning.
