“Throughout my life, I have been drawn to caring for and serving others in their most vulnerable moments,” said Phyllis Ekwempu, a student in The University of Tulsa’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (A.B.S.N.) program. In December 2025, Ekwempu acted on her deep-seated convictions when she donated a kidney to save her mother’s life.
This story of compassion and courage began in 2022, when Ekwempu’s mother was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and required dialysis. Over time, her condition worsened and a kidney transplant emerged as the best long-term solution.
Among all her siblings, testing revealed that Ekwempu was the only family member whose kidney was a match. “When I found out I could save my mother’s life, I was overwhelmed with relief and gratitude,” Ekwempu recalled. “I felt an immense sense of peace and urgency to move forward with the donation.”
The only question remaining: How could major surgery plus an eight-week recovery period square with the demands of Ekwempu’s rigorous nursing program?
From stay-at-home mom to future RN
Born and raised in Kenya, Ekwempu’s family moved to St. Louis when she was a teenager. After completing a bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2020, she and her husband – plus their first child – put down roots in Tulsa. For the next three years, Ekwempu was a stay-at-home mother, but after her third child, she began researching programs that would enable her to pursue a nursing career. Ekwempu applied to UTulsa’s A.B.S.N. program in January 2025, was swiftly accepted and began her studies in March.
“Nursing, for me, is not simply a profession,” commented Ekwempu. “It’s a purpose – one that uniquely combines scientific knowledge with compassion, advocacy and human connection.”
Drawing on her personal experiences during the birth of her children and helping her mother navigate the healthcare system, Ekwempu said she has “seen firsthand the profound impact that caring, competent nurses can have on patients and families. I aspire to become a nurse who not only provides excellent clinical care but also brings comfort, dignity and hope to those dealing with difficult health challenges.”
Student to patient and back again
Upon learning that she would be able to save her mother’s life by donating a kidney, Ekwempu immediately approached Tamara Hryshchuk, director of the A.B.S.N. program, to see whether there might be some way to complete the fall term. The program’s leadership team swung into action and worked out a plan to rearrange Ekwempu’s coursework and clinical rotations to ensure she received the clinical hours needed while also accommodating the surgery date and having time for the post-operative recovery period.
“We were very glad to do everything in our power to support Phyllis during this serious situation,” commented Hryshchuk. “For us, it was a reminder that it’s possible to hold students to a high standard and lead with humanity.”
With all the medical and academic pieces in place, Ekwempu was wheeled into the operating theater at SSM Saint Louis University Hospital at 9 a.m. Dec. 3, 2025. One of her kidneys was removed and, shortly after, transplanted into her mother’s body.
“By God’s grace, both procedures were successful,” said Ekwempu. “My mom’s new kidney began working almost immediately!”
The heart of nursing
As she reflects on this dramatic, life-changing episode, Ekwempu repeatedly returns to the kindness and flexibility of the A.B.S.N. leadership team and her instructors. “Their willingness to advocate for me allowed me to continue pursuing my nursing education and give my mother the gift of life. I am profoundly grateful for their support during such a pivotal season,” she said.
For Hryshchuk, one of the larger lessons Ekwempu’s story reveals is “the deep compassion that sits at the heart of nursing.” Unpacking that observation, Hryshchuk noted that what made the experience especially meaningful was watching administrators and faculty unite with the same sense of care and selflessness, working behind the scenes to support a student during a critical juncture. “It testifies,” she concluded, “to the kind of community we strive to build in The University of Tulsa’s School of Nursing, where compassion and education are utterly inseparable.”
UTulsa helps you find your way
Most students will never experience the kind of serious situation Phyllis Ekwempu faced. Yet, throughout each day, term and year of your journey through an Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences program, you can count on being supported by faculty and staff who see you as a unique person with aspirations, needs and responsibilities all your own.