Kentucky bourbon titan recovers from kidney transplant thanks to Jim Beam co-worker, UK
One of bourbon’s biggest ambassadors has a new reason to be thankful for his distillery “family.”
Fred Noe, master distiller for the James B. Beam Distilling Co., received a kidney from one of his co-workers last spring, according to a news release from the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital, where the transplant was performed.
Known around the globe, Noe is the face of the biggest selling bourbon brand in the world, the great-grandson of bourbon pioneer Jim Beam and the seventh generation master distiller for the distillery.
Noe, 64, said that he needed a kidney transplant after developing Type 2 diabetes, just like his father Booker Noe had.
“As I did in work, I followed in my father’s footsteps as far as health goes,” said Noe. “He developed diabetes, had kidney issues and that was his demise. As I got a little older, I developed a little blood sugar issue and Type 2 diabetes, and I started trying to work on it — but it kind of took over.”
He started dialysis and began exploring transplant options with a living donor. No one in his immediate family was a suitable match, according to Noe. At the urging of Beam Suntory senior vice president global chief human resources officer Paula Erickson, they opened up the search for a kidney to workers in Kentucky in a blanket email.
DeeAnn Hogan, plant coordinator at the company’s distilleries in Clermont and Boston, Ky., stepped forward and proved to be a match.
“DeeAnn and I have been friends for 25 years,” Noe said in the UK news release. “I call her my work mom.”
“I prayed about it, and God told me,” Hogan said in the release. “It was on New Year’s Day, and I was praying about it when Fred texted me to say ‘Happy New Year, my friend.’ And I had my answer.”
On April 23, Noe and Hogan drove together to the Transplant Center at UK HealthCare’s Chandler Hospital where Malay Shah, M.D., surgical director of the Liver Transplant Program and a kidney transplant specialist, performed the transplant.
Fortuitously perhaps, Shah himself is a bourbon fan and knew who Noe was.
After the surgery, Noe said he noticed a difference almost immediately, according to the release.
“I started dialysis about eight weeks before the transplant,” Noe said. “I always thought you were supposed to feel better after dialysis, but I couldn’t do much of anything. I felt sluggish and just sat around the house. I didn’t have much of a desire to do anything. After the transplant, I was up walking and doing stuff again. It was almost immediate.”
Hogan also recovered well from the donation. Both Hogan and Noe are participating in a study following transplant participates.
“I feel great,” Noe said in a video accompanying the news release. “I feel a lot better than I did before April 23.”
Noe can even continue drinking bourbon, according to his surgeon.
Seven months later, Noe has returned to work full time, according to the release, but has turned over some duties to his son, Freddie. Noe is avoiding travel and large crowds due to COVID-19. And he’s made big lifestyle changes, including lots of walking, drinking more water and eating healthier, according to the release.
Noe praised the transplant team at UK with giving him “ a new lease on life. ... It’s unbelievable what you’re life’s like after you get the new kidney. You can enjoy yourself again. You’re not tied to that dialysis machine.”
His focus now is sticking around for his family.
“My grandson lives right next door,” Noe said. “My father spoiled my son when he was little, so I’m going to spoil this little guy. That’s going to be my job.”
