It is appropriately described as a selfless gift of life.

Union Township resident Pam Ullman departs for California this month to donate a kidney to her older sister; in a most ironic and provocative twist of fate, her upcoming life-saving surgery will happen 26 years after her husband of 8 years, Sheldon Rogge, donated a kidney to his own older brother.

In this most unusually inspirational set of circumstances, one spouse has already given the gift of life and one spouse has yet to give the gift of life.

The story began when Sheldon Rogge and Pam Ullman, who are both graphic designers, met through a mutual friend at a summer backyard party. After falling in love – he said it was love at first sight – they married and moved to Union Township in 2005.

In 1981, at the age of 19, Sheldon Rogge, who was born and raised across the river from Louisville in southern Indiana, donated a kidney to his older brother Steve Rogge. The surgery was successful and prolonged his brother’s life by an additional five years; he tragically died five years after the surgery at the age of 32.