Alaska lawmaker awaits kidney transplant

When an Alaska state representative was diagnosed with a genetic kidney disease, his colleagues wanted to help. After two years of testing, a match was finally found — but an ethics law appeared to block a legislative staffer's generous offer.

The new law had a provision setting a $250 limit on compassionate gifts for lawmakers. While the kidney itself has no monetary value under federal law, the limit wouldn't even cover the prospective donor's roundtrip plane ticket to a transplant center in Seattle.

When lawmakers recently learned that it could pose a problem for their ailing colleague Richard Foster, they quickly set to work on a bill to lift the limit, though compassionate gifts still must be reported and approved.

"Because Richard's a legislator, it creates that problem," said Rep. John Coghill, who sponsored the cap-lifting measure. "When you live in a fishbowl, you have to think about those things."

The bill passed the House and Senate unanimously last week and is expected to be signed by Gov. Sarah Palin soon.

Yet the small legislative flurry has gone largely unnoticed by the man at its center who has more than a hitch in the law to worry about.

The 61-year old Democrat from Nome suffered a mild stroke last month and has been in rehabilitation in Seattle. He sounded surprised at all the fuss.

"It's pretty unusual for them to support anything unanimously, even Mother's Day," said Foster, an affable father of nine.

Though he is unable to walk unassisted, the stroke does not appear to have affected his cognitive abilities, said his wife Catherine, who told him he seemed "to have it all upstairs."

"Well, it's more than I had before," Foster quipped.

Sue Stancliff is the legislative staffer who offered her kidney. She used to work for Foster and now considers him a personal friend. She said he is able to brighten even the most dour committee hearing with a funny joke or action.

"He just illuminates this building with his presence because he has such a big heart," she said.

Stancliff appeared unfazed at the possible legal hitch in her plans. She went through a battery of medical tests that also included emotional counseling so doctors could be sure that she was mentally prepared.

Stancliff said her family's support has helped.

"Our faith is very strong, and we believe this is what I am supposed to be doing," Stancliff said.

The kidney transplant was scheduled for December but was delayed so that it wouldn't conflict with the legislative session. Stancliff is hoping that Foster will be well enough by April.

"It really gives hope to people in the district and friends and family that if he gets strong enough, we've got one," she said.