By JON BAKER

LINCOLN — When Mary Reynolds-Carr decided to purchase a pair of Curves for Women health clubs — one in Pawtucket, another at a mini strip mall here on Higginson Avenue — eight years ago, she never thought it possible she would lose a kidney as a result.

Truth be told, she doesn’t mind. As she sat in a white wicker chair in this “consultation room,” Reynolds-Carr attempted to explain her satisfaction about saving the life of an old friend, one she hadn’t seen in nearly a quarter-century.
She peered across a table at Geri Stevens, a 58-year-old Pawtucketer who works as a hairdresser in Barrington, and flashed a grin.
They have an outstanding reason for such elation: Back in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 24, the women trekked to Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital, where surgeons removed Reynolds-Carr’s left kidney and placed it inside Stevens, who was in desperate need.
“I’m an organ donor on my (driver’s) license, meaning — after I’m gone — they can take my organs and do whatever,” said Reynolds-Carr (don’t think about asking her age), who lives in Cumberland with husband Michael Carr. “I feel honored, privileged to help someone while I’m still alive. I’m so grateful I could help Geri. She’s feeling great, and that makes me feel great.
“People have asked if I’d do it again, and my response is always, ‘Definitely,’” she added. “I really can’t explain it in words, but it means the world to me.”
Offered Stevens: “I’m with Mary. No words can describe it, but I have a new life because someone cared so much.”
Neither cried. Make no mistake, though, emotion filled the room.

It’s a fascinating story, how the duet came together, then went 24 years without seeing each other before being reunited
According to Mary, they met while working at the famed L.G. Balfour Co. in Attleboro back in 1983. Geri worked as a pantograph operator in the casting department, and Mary toiled in the molding section.
“I was a traveler; I liked to visit people, and I used to get in trouble because of it,” Geri laughed. “I’m a ‘people’ person. Mary and I used to chat all the time.”
In 2000, while raising three children, Mary chose to “branch out,” buying the spas as an independent owner.
“I really don’t know why, except that I joined Curves in Cumberland over eight years ago, and I liked it because it involved only women,” she noted. “I always loved exercise, and I just found the atmosphere comfortable …I wanted my own business, something where I could help people.
“My mom had been overweight, and she was very young when she passed away,” she added. “I think that’s what motivated me to stay healthy, and eventually purchase the clubs. I wanted to help other women improve themselves.”
Fast forward to 2002. Geri explained she was at work one day when she noticed her biceps and triceps were lacking the … well, tone they once did.
“I was talking with a friend of mine, Denise, and she said, ‘Why don’t you join Curves in Pawtucket?’ I just laughed, ‘I hate exercise!’ I went anyway, because it was only a 30-minute workout. I never knew Mary owned the club, and I went probably two months without seeing her.”
When they saw each other, both flipped.
“I was, like, ‘Oh, my God!’” Geri said.
Noted Mary: “When she walked in, I was amazed. We hugged and talked, but I had remembered how her mom had suffered from kidney disease, and was on dialysis. I also remembered her saying, ‘I never want to be put through that.’ We redeveloped our friendship immediately.”
Last August, she and other workout pals dicovered one of Geri’s kidneys was failing, and that dialysis was a certainty. Immediately, a few members decided they wanted to be tested, donate a kidney to their friend.
“We had women who said, ‘If you’re going to get checked for Geri, go ahead. If you’re not a match, I’ll go,’” Mary stated. “We had one member, Carolyn, who was tested, and it proved to be a match. The surgery was all set up.”

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As is standard before a kidney transplant, the donor must receive one final test four days before the operation, slated for late November.
“The day before Thanksgiving, it was canceled,” Geri said, shaking her head. “I was told there was a blockage in Carolyn’s aorta. They said it wasn’t perfect, so they couldn’t go through with the surgery.
“I was shocked; I was crushed,” she continued. “I was thinking, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ My friend was in turmoil. At the hospital, they had separated us to give us the news. As the doctor was telling her, she had left the room to look for me. She was saying, ‘You can’t do this to her. She’ll be devastated.’”
Geri moved back to Square One.
“It wasn’t only people at Curves who were interested in helping me,” she said. “I also had three or four customers at Supercuts who wanted to be tested.”
On Dec. 10, Geri -- experiencing right kidney failure -- had peritonial surgery to have a tube placed in her midsection; call it a precursor for dialysis. Then, on Jan. 2, she attended dialysis training in East Providence, where officials taught the process of using the machine, one that filters toxins out of the affected kidney.
Back at Curves in Pawtucket, Mary and members talked about Geri’s plight.
“I told Sharon Bizier, my assistant manager in Pawtucket, ‘I’ve known Geri for 24 years. She’s a wonderful person, and she’s always been very friendly to me,’” Mary stated. “Sharon looked at me and said, ‘We’ve got to do something.’”
Bizier chose to travel to Boston for testing, and found to be a match, but that also fell through the cracks due to a certain health issue.
In March, Mary decided it was her turn to try. She drove to the hospital, and underwent a battery of tests that included a complete physical, CT scans, MRIs, echo-cardiograms, X-rays, mammograms, etc.
“I even needed to have my dental records sent to the doctors,” Mary said. “They had to make sure there was no gum disease. It was quite a process … In early May, Jane Riley (kidney transplant coordinator at Mass. General) left me a message at home. When I called her back, she told me I was a match, and I was both thrilled and nervous. She also said she wanted to schedule the surgery for the following week.
“I told Jane, ‘Hey, slow down!’” she added with a chuckle. “I had to revise work schedules and get my staff in order. I also said I had weddings and other commitments I couldn’t avoid. After I talked to Geri, we decided we’d do it on June 24th, in part because it had to be on a Tuesday, and also because it was a ‘Saints’ day (St. Baptiste in Canada, according to Geri).”
Two days before, the tandem -- both Catholic -- prayed together at a Cumberland church.

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At approximately 5 a.m. on that June 24th, they drove together to Boston, singing a song entitled “Irreplaceable” by artist Beyonce.
“We did that because lyrics at the beginning were, ‘To the left, to the left,’ and I was donating my left kidney,” Mary laughed. “I remember being fine until I was on the bed being prepped. I mean, this was the unknown, and I never had major surgery before. When they asked me if I wanted to change my mind, I said, ‘No way. I’m going through with it.’”
Less than six hours later, Geri had a new right kidney.
“The day of the surgery, everyone at Curves was asking, “You hear anything? How are they?’” Bizier said. “That was at 6:30-7 a.m. I just said, ‘It’s a little early yet.’”
Doctors gave Mary direct orders for rehabilitation: No activity for six weeks, no driving for two and don’t even ponder working for three months.
“I was back at work in six weeks,” Mary grinned. “I couldn’t stay away. Of course, I started easy and slow with my exercises … The first week was the worst in terms of pain. I had C-sections before, and they took the kidney out of the previous scar. I was prepared for the pain; I knew it. Slow but sure, it disappeared. In fact, the next day, I walked to Geri’s room to see her.”
Offered Geri: “It’s over, and I’m so happy. I’m rid of that dialysis machine, and I just got back to working out again. I feel wonderful. My doctors have said my numbers are good, and the kidney is good. It’s all because of Mary’s kindness.”