5 Famous People Who Served As Living Altruistic Kidney Donors For Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

 

© ALL CREDIT TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

 

Often times kind-hearted, generous people do not step forward and get tested to be a Kidney Donor for Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis patients because they think that Altruistic (Selfless) Living Kidney Donation is an intensive and scary proposition. In reality, Living Kidney Donation is very safe. Potential donors are evaluated to ensure that Altruistic Donation will not impact their lifespan or quality of life. If the possible donors are found to be a suitable kidney match and it is safe to donate, then they are given the opportunity to do what so many have wished and dreamed of since they were young - being a hero and saving the life of another. The following list of famous Kidney Donors should not be seen as exhaustive (fully comprehensive). Nonetheless, these famous names took the simple step of donating, and serve as very visible examples of how safe and rewarding the process of Altruistic Living Kidney Donation can be:

1. Senator Jake Garn (U.S. Senator, Utah): The first U.S. Senator to go into space also managed to save his ailing daughter, who was suffering from Diabetes at age 27, by serving as her Living Kidney Donor. He said in a 1986 statement, “I am honored to give her part of me.''

2. Everson Walls (Former American Football Defensive Back): Proving the age-old sentiment, that there is no "I" in "Team," the Super Bowl Champion donated a kidney to his Dallas Cowboys teammate Ron Springs, who had suffered from kidney complications due to Diabetes in 2007. It was a very rewarding experience. In fact, Mr. Walls wrote about being an Altruistic Living Kidney Donor in the book A Gift For Ron.

3. Oscar Robertson (National Basketball Association player): Nicknamed "The Big O," Mr. Robertson, who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks, donated to his daughter, Tia, whose Lupus-induced Kidney Failure could have caused early death. The Hall of Famer is doing well at the age of 77-years-old.

4. Ann Serrano (Film Producer and Actress): The ex-wife of George Lopez and mother-of-one is probably best known for donating a kidney to her then husband in 2005. Ann and George divorced 5 years later. Still, she has never once mentioned that she regretted being a Living Kidney Donor.

5. Richard “Dick” Cass (13-year President of the Ravens): It is not all business for Richard Cass. The president of the Football Team, Baltimore Ravens, performed one of the greatest acts of kindness by donating his kidney to a friend from law school. Now in his 13th-year as President of the Super Bowl winning team, at the age of 72-years-old Mr. Cass appears to be doing very well with no signs of slowing down. 

Recommended Reading: Top Eleven Famous People With Kidney Disease

If you are actively searching to connect with potential Altruistic Living Kidney Donors who may consider helping you, then click here and sign up for the Find A Kidney Donor Campaign so that the KidneyBuzz.com Social Media Team may help. Also, share this article with as many people as possible so that they can mull over the idea of stepping forward and being a life-saving, kind-hearted Living Kidney Donor.

Recommended Reading: 8 Celebrities You Probably Did Not Know Received Kidney Transplants Which Are Still Functioning

If you could, would you be an Altruistic Living Kidney Donor? Why or why not? Share your insights with the over 49,000 Friends who have liked KidneyBuzz.com on Facebook (click here). Also, follow the over 120,000+ monthly individual viewers who visit KidneyBuzz.com regularly for the latest daily news and information which teach those with Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis, Kidney Transplant, Diabetes, and Hypertension how to better manage and improve their lives. Erica Ashley Jenkins (Dialysis Nurse) said, "Hello I just wanted to let you know I work in a dialysis clinic and over half of our clinic reads this page, we enjoy everything you put on and love to have new information. My patients are a very grateful."

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