Indianapolis Man Reclaims Life After Simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant
November 10, 2025 — by Transplant News
USA: Kevin Rogers of Indianapolis has rebuilt an active life—golfing, biking and hiking—despite having both legs amputated, after receiving a simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant that halted his diabetes and freed him from dialysis. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age nine, he endured decades of complications that culminated in kidney failure in his 40s and an episode in which his heart stopped and he required two electrical shocks during emergency care.
The transplant team in Indianapolis performed combined kidney and pancreas transplantation, an option described as life-saving for selected people with type 1 diabetes and end-stage renal disease. The story notes long-term outcomes for this procedure include an 87 percent survival rate at ten years. For Rogers, the operation eliminated the need for insulin and dialysis, effectively ending active diabetic disease and providing what clinicians called an immediate and profound change in his health status.
Recovery was not linear. After the transplant Rogers developed severe foot ulcers that failed to heal because of chronic microvascular disease, which limits blood flow to the extremities. Faced with persistent wounds and disability, he elected to undergo bilateral leg amputation. The choice was framed as a medical necessity to resolve nonhealing ulcers and reduce ongoing infection risk, enabling rehabilitation and a renewed focus on mobility.
Now post-amputation and post-transplant, Rogers reports renewed strength and purpose. The combined transplant and subsequent surgeries have allowed him to return to outdoor pursuits and to advocate for an active life after limb loss. His case highlights the potential for simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplantation to change the trajectory for patients with longstanding type 1 diabetes and renal failure, while also underscoring the complex, multidisciplinary care required before and after such procedures.
