SARASOTA, Fla. (April 30, 2025) – As Donate Life Month comes to an end, Sarasota Memorial is celebrating a remarkable story of compassion, medical collaboration, and the power of living donation. Sara Karjoo, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist with Sarasota Memorial, received a life-saving kidney transplant in November 2024 — thanks to the extraordinary generosity of a Debra Pagan, RN, a neonatal intensive care nurse at the hospital.
Dr. Karjoo, friends and colleagues spent several months last year sharing her story and need for a kidney in hopes of raising awareness and finding a potential donor. Her appeal touched many in the community, including Pagan, who stepped forward to be tested. Pagan and Karjoo participated in the National Kidney Registry’s paired donation program, ultimately facilitating a donation chain that resulted in Dr. Karjoo receiving a perfectly matched kidney from a donor in Massachusetts, and Pagan’s kidney going to recipient in need in Georgia.
“It was this amazing SMH community that stepped up to get my message out there, get tested, and ultimately saved my life,” said Dr. Karjoo. “This has reset the clock for me. Now I have the energy to do things again, and I am channeling that energy and that gift to do what I love and help my patients.”
Dr. Karjoo is recovering well following her successful transplant surgery and plans to return to work and resume caring for patients in June while further raising awareness for organ donation.
About Sarasota Memorial Health Care System
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional medical center offering Southwest Florida’s greatest breadth and depth of care, with 2,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 2 million patient visits a year across its network of care. Sarasota County’s largest employer, the community-owned health system includes two full-service hospitals in Sarasota and Venice, freestanding ERs in North Port and Lakewood Ranch, a rehabilitation hospital, behavioral health hospital, skilled nursing facility and comprehensive network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics and physician practices. Founded in 1925, SMH is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2025 and encouraging community members to visit smh.com/100 throughout the year for centennial events and updates.