NEOSHO, Mo. — In honor of National Kidney Month, we bring you the story of a man who spent today, celebrating more than a life-saving kidney transplant with family and friends.

20 years ago on March 19th, 2003, Chad Terry received what many dialysis patients are so hopeful for, a kidney transplant.

Unfortunately, though, doctors told him this transplant would likely only last up to eight years, the average lasting span of a kidney transplant.

“You just expect it. You know, every time you go to get labs, which is quite often, you go in expecting this is the time and that my labs are going to be off and I’m going to have to start talking about transplant stuff and dialysis stuff again. So, I mean, it’s nerve-wracking, it really is nerve-wracking because you just wait and wait for that to happen,” said Chad Terry, Kidney Transplant Recipient.

20 years later, Chad is spending a Sunday with his entire family, who never left his side during the last two decades.

Throughout everything he’s gone through over the years, Chad has also survived and beat cancer twice.

It’s a day celebrating not only Chad’s remarkable journey, but also Chad’s life.

“They’ve watched me die multiple times. So, the fact that I’m still here standing and that I’m able to have a family, it’s a miracle. To fight through all of those illnesses, on top of each other, and to still be here? I wasn’t supposed to have children. I have a wife and a daughter. My daughter is about to be seven. That’s pretty awesome,” said Chad.

Alice is Chad’s daughter.

Alice is also the name of someone who Chad has a message for.

“She was the head nurse at my dialysis clinic when I was there. She literally saved my life, multiple times. I could not be more thankful for her. I told her that if I ever had a daughter, that I would name her Alice. That woman changed my life. I have not been able to find Alice for years. She is not aware that I have a daughter named after her. And if I could find her and introduce her to my daughter, I would be eternally grateful. So, if Alice is watching this or if anybody knows Alice that took care of me at the dialysis clinic, please let her know to reach out to me. I would love for her to meet my daughter,” said Chad

“…’Cause he’s been all the way to this point, that’s why dad is here now. And he plays games with me and also he helps me do art since he is an artist,” said Alice Terry, Chad’s Daughter.

It’s through the art pieces he did while undergoing chemo that he hopes to help out someone else going through the same situation.

“It doesn’t matter how hard it gets, if you keep fighting all of the things you think aren’t possible, they are,” said Chad.