NORWICH – Born and raised in Norwich, Rose Laughlin was 22 years old when she was diagnosed with leukemia. And while her efforts to battle the cancer were ultimately successful, they too had consequences.

It wasn’t until six years later that Laughlin learned the medications she’d been prescribed to fight off the leukemia had caused irreparable kidney damage – a fairly common side effect at that time – and for years she soldiered on with her kidneys functioning at around 50 percent.

In all that time, Laughlin said she never expected her kidneys to fail, yet a difficult bout with the flu in February of 2010 changed everything for the mother of two.

“That’s when everything began shutting down,” said Laughlin.

By May, Laughlin was learning all about home dialysis and – in July – began utilizing the treatment nightly, from 6:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., all so she could be up at 5 a.m. for work at the Chenango Valley Home.

Eventually, however, doctors determined that, for her health and safety, Laughlin would require a kidney transplant. The only problem was finding an acceptable donor. Luckily, after repeated failures, they had one. Rose’s sister, Erin.