Cindy's Background:

Dear Donor,
 Sometimes the greatest lessons in life are learned outside the classroom. As a life-long educator, I believe that every moment is a learning opportunity. It is in this spirit that I would like to share with you my journey. I hope that it may enlighten, encourage, and excite you into taking action.  

I am one of over 100,000 Americans patiently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. I am in need of a kidney and the wait is long; many spend 5-10 years waiting for a matching deceased donor. The length of this wait is in no way lost on me. My Father’s twin sister passed away while waiting for a kidney after 35 years as a diabetic. The only alternatives for someone with Kidney disease are to find a kidney donor or spend years on dialysis. I have lived with diabetes for over 30 years, I was shocked when my kidneys rapidly failed, resulting in a diagnosis of End Stage Renal Disease.  I was catapulted from stage 1 to stage 5 within three short months. My kidneys are operating at a very slim 11% as I wait for my fistula to mature. The fistula will be the access point for dialysis treatments going forward. While I am thankful to be alive, I cannot help but feel a profound sadness when I think of what in-center hemodialysis treatments will mean for my future.

I am single and have never married but I have had many children. My students are my children, teaching is my passion. I have dedicated my life to teaching art and reading.  For many years I taught children with special needs and now I find great joy in teaching at a school with over 90% lower socio-economic population. Through the years, I have been lucky enough to touch the minds of over 19,000 students. I would like to continue teaching and living life, expressing it through art. The many doctor’s appointments and treatment sessions take their toll, I am fatigued and have had to step away from school committees and miss many days of work.  I am deeply saddened to think that my days in the classroom may be cut short due to this illness. But to keep my spirits up, I am using this experience as a teaching tool for my students. I like to remind them how important it is to eat healthy and how much their kidneys do for their bodies.

I am not giving up. I started this Find a Kidney Campaign in order to find a compassionate and strong individual willing to become my living donor. To even think about being a living donor is admirable. It may sound daunting but Living kidney donation is a medically safe and lifesaving procedure. Humans need only one kidney to survive, we are fortunate in the fact that we have two. For someone like me with End Stage Renal Disease, one kidney would make all the difference. The process of donating a kidney is simplified and explained by transplant coordinators, they can tell you everything you need to know and answer any questions you may have. What I can tell you is that the procedure is done laparoscopically through the abdomen and the recovery time for the donor is fairly quick, most people only spend a few days in the hospital following the procedure. I can also tell you that I would be forever grateful if you would consider being my living donor. You have within you the capability to provide a miracle, a chance to help another human being thrive. Please help me get back to work with “my kids.” Providing a good education ensures a great future for all of us. I want to continue to make a difference in society through teaching and spreading awareness of Kidney disease.
 
I am listed at Northwestern Medicine Kovlor Organ Transplant Center
Phone: (312) 695-0828       Fax:(312) 695-0036           Website:www.transplant.nmh.org
 
Fun Fact: Northwestern does the donor swap system and if a donor does not match me they will find someone that matches the donor and swap their living donor to me if they match me. The longest swap involved 14 donors and 14 recipients.
 
Thank you for your time and consideration.

May God bless you,

Cindy

A Note From Cindy:

Hello,

Thank you for expressing interest and showing your support of my need for a living kidney donor. 

I am listed at Northwestern Medicine Kovlor Organ Transplant Center (Chicago, IL) and I would like you to know that the process of living kidney donation is safe, and if you or someone you know would like to donate, then please contact my transplant center at (312) 695-0828.

For further questions, please send me a message (below). Thanks again!

Regards,

Cindy

What is the Altruistic Living Donor Program?

The Altruistic Living Donor Program matches altruistic (selfless) donors with recipients awaiting transplantation. The transplant team is available to fully evaluate all potential living donors, whether living-related, emotionally-related or altruistic. The Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division is experienced in the evaluation and management of all living donors. 

Click here to learn about how safe Living Kidney Donation really is.

Click here to learn more about the urgent need for more kind-hearted, generous potential Living Kidney Donors like you!

Hear From An Expert:

Video Testimonial:

Kidney transplant recipient Kelly Belgrave and her lifelong friend, now fiancée Netfa Rickets tell the story of how Netfa became a living donor and donated one of his kidneys to Kelly, when her kidneys began to fail due to diabetes. Visit the Organ Donor Awareness Campaign: http://tinyurl.com/7ean4lr

Written Testimonial:

Jeff, a 34-year-old living donor, shares what he went through when donating a kidney for his brother Mark, who is 38.

My brother has had type 1 diabetes since he was 12 years old. My family knew he might have kidney failure someday. But it happened a lot sooner than we expected. One day his creatinine levels jumped from 2 to 6.8. So, we got slapped in the face with the reality that he was going to have to go on dialysis.

As soon as my sister and I heard the news, we said "OK, let’s find out if one of us can be a donor." There was no hesitation at all. My sister and I actually had a contest going as to who was going to win and get to donate.

I got out of the hospital three days after the surgery. I stayed at my parent’s house for a week and a half. My kids were five and six months at the time. And I was worried my five year old would be jumping all over me wanting to play. So I thought it would be best for me to recover at my parent’s.

That first week I slept a lot. Mark came by to visit every day. He lives very close to my parents. His recovery seemed to go about four times easier than mine. He’d come over and tease me, saying "Hey man, you look like hell."

I planned on going back to work in two weeks. I have a desk job so it’s not like I do physical labor. But that first day back at work, I was only able to work for three hours, and I was beat. But it got better each day. I was back at work full time three weeks after the surgery.

Seven months after the surgery, I’m back to my normal activities. I run and golf for exercise, play around with my kids, and have a few beers on occasion.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who can be a donor?

To qualify as a living donor, an individual must be in good health, free from any serious medical problems and between the ages of 21 and 60.

What are the risks involved?

Donating a kidney does not have any long-term effect on health. Donors may experience a slight rise in blood pressure and a small amount of excess protein in the urine following surgery. There is no greater risk of developing kidney failure after donating at kidney than anyone in the general population.

Are there activities that I will not be able to do in the future if I choose to donate a kidney?

In general, donating a kidney does not have any long-term effect on health. Some restrictions do apply following donor surgery, including reducing or eliminating the use of NSAIDS and avoiding any activity that may cause injury to the surgical area.

Does the evaluation process have to be completed at Penn?

The entire evaluation process is completed at Penn; however, if the prospective donor lives at a distance, arrangements can be made for some of the initial screening to be done at the donor's location.

Who makes the final decision on potential donors?

Based on the evaluation results, the Transplant team (comprised of nephrologists, nurses, social workers, dieticians and other transplant specialists) decides whether or not to proceed with a living donor kidney transplant as the best therapeutic option.

Who pays for the donor's medical expenses?

The recipient's insurance covers all of the donor's evaluation and hospitalization costs; however, it does not cover lost income, transportation costs or personal expenses. The transplant financial advisor reviews the potential donor/recipient procedures and associated costs carefully prior to the evaluation.

How long will I be in the hospital?

Most donors remain in the hospital for two to three days.

What is the recovery process like?

Most kidney donors resume normal activities four to six weeks after surgery. Donors are not able to drive for three to four weeks after discharge and are not permitted to lift heavy objects. You may need assistance with daily living activities during this time.

How long will I be out of work?

Depending on the nature of the work, donors typically return to work between 10 days and two weeks.

What happens if I decide not to become a living liver donor?

At any point, for any reason, the evaluation process can be stopped. The recipient will remain active on the transplant list and is free to find another potential living donor.

Shocking Stats:

Chief Medical Officer (United Network for Organ Sharing) Dr. David Klassen (Nephrologist) said in a Huffington Post article, "I’ve also witnessed the results of the severe organ shortage in this country. Too often I’ve lost patients because the organ they needed did not come in time. Too many lives cut short. Too many dreams unlived." The following are a few very sobering stats which Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis patients should share as well as their loved ones:

90,000 - The number of Dialysis patients that die every year according to Renal and Urology News. 

121,076 - The number of people currently waiting for a lifesaving organ in the United States, as reported by the United Network for Organ Sharing. 

100,269 - The number of patients awaiting a Kidney Transplant specifically. This suggests that approximately 80.9% of the entire organ transplant waiting list is made of individuals in need of a kidney. It is important to note that living kidney donation is very safe and if found to be a match, a donor would undergo a rigorous health evaluation before donating to ensure good long-term health outcomes.

22 - The number of people who die every single day, waiting for a transplant.

4,500 - The number of Chronic Kidney Disease patients that die every year waiting for a kidney transplant, as noted by the Living Kidney Donor Network.

6 - The number of people added to the transplant wait list every hour, reported by Huffington Post.

0 (zero) - The number of major religions that are against their members donating an organ. All major organized religions in the United States are favorable of organ and tissue donation and most likely consider it an act of charity.

The Need For Living Kidney Donors

“There are about 90,000 people waiting for kidney transplants in the United States,” says Dr. Gibney. “There are about 14,000 kidney transplants a year. Each year, more people are in need of organs and get added to that list.

So that’s one of the things that makes living donation so important is that there’s a fairly limited supply of organs. If there are friends or family members who can give, that can save lives and really extend people’s lives by years and years.”

Media:

If you would like to share Cindy's story via your publication, then please send a direct message below.