People Helping People Goes Next Level in Wyoming: Atlantic City Federal Credit Union Leader Donates Kidney

Posted by Patti Hazlett on August 6, 2024

Khrystyn Lutz and Krizinne Cross

We hear the credit union philosophy, “People Helping People,” nearly every day. That mantra is lived out inside the walls of credit unions as they serve their member-owners. At some point, it becomes part of who they are and sometimes, it manifests in ways they cannot predict. 

Recently that played out in the life of Khrystyn Lutz, Chief Risk Officer at Atlantic City Federal Credit Union (ACFCU) in Lander, Wyo., when she donated a kidney to a recipient she doesn’t know in order to help her good friend, Krizinne Cross.  

The two met in 2018 when Khrystyn started working at Pathfinder Federal Credit Union in Casper, Wyo. The new coworkers clicked. “We both love cooking, and we are always sharing recipes back and forth,” said Khrystyn. Their friendship grew from there, even after Krystyn moved to Lander and went to work for ACFCU in 2022.   

Krizinne knew from working with her medical team that she would need a kidney transplant in the near future and mentioned it to her friends at work. Khrystyn said she had always been interested in being a living donor, and the plight of her good friend moved her to act.  

“Although my friend and I are the same blood type, further testing determined that we weren’t compatible enough genetically to do a direct donation,” Khrystyn said. “I was initially devastated – but then my coordinator told me about the Voucher Program. Through this program, I could donate my kidney to another individual in need and in exchange my friend will then be prioritized when she goes to receive a kidney from the National Kidney Registry (NKR). Essentially, my donation “bumps” her up on the registry.” 

While the decision to help her friend was an easy one, the process from there was not. Khrystyn’s journey to donation took almost two years.  

“The approval process is very thorough. It involves physical exams, lab tests, screenings, imaging, and a psychological evaluation,” Khrystyn explained. She did her testing and eventual surgery at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, where her friend is also receiving care.  

Khrystyn’s surgery was on June 10, and typical recovery is six weeks. She said she’s now, “feeling back to normal now, the same as I did prior to the surgery.” 

Her friends, family, and coworkers were “incredibly supportive” both leading up to and during the process, as well as her recovery.  

“My ACFCU team supported me through the whole process – while recovering they made sure to check-in frequently and the team made a special sign for me during an all-staff training that I had to miss,” Khrystyn shared. “They even brought restaurant gift cards by my house to ensure I could rest without having to worry about preparing meals. I could not ask for a better team and I am thankful every day to work with such compassionate people.” 

Brian Rohrbacher, ACFCU’s President & CEO said, “Khrystyn demonstrated true unselfishness in its purest form by generously donating one of her kidneys to help a former colleague and friend. This true act of kindness demonstrates putting someone else’s health and well-being before your own while expecting nothing in return. This generous donation will not only change the beneficiary’s life but their family’s life.” 

Krizinne is doing well for now, but she still needs a transplant. Khrystyn says that while she didn’t know the recipient of her kidney, she was told that the surgery was a success for them. “I am so thankful that I was healthy enough to be able to donate and help my friend get closer to receiving a kidney. Deciding to donate a kidney doesn’t feel like a ‘big deal’ when you consider that someone else gets to be here longer with their family and friends because of your donation. One of the transplant nurses after my surgery said it best, ‘Someone out there was planning the end of their life, and now thanks to your donation, they are planning their new beginning instead.’ In hindsight, I would absolutely make the decision to donate again and again.”  

Khrystyn sees this process as a step in her journey to help others. She plans to stay in the credit union movement for her career.  

“Working in a credit union where you are helping people day-in, day-out is very rewarding. Even for non-member facing roles like my own, I am still supporting the credit union so that our team can serve more and more people and help them achieve their financial dreams.”  

The decision and the process aligned perfectly with Khrystyn’s personal core values, one of which is service to others. “I think the motto ‘People Helping People’ is fantastic. I love getting to help and support others, in both my professional and personal life.”  

Posted in Community Impact, Regional Member News, Top Headlines, Wyoming.