Dear Donor:
At the moment I am in the fight of my life. I am not at my best right now, I mean how could I be when dealing with this horrible disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD). Lately I have been thinking about what the future holds and how I can possibly face it in my condition. Will I prevail over this illness or succumb to it? One thing for certain is that I am not willing to quit fighting for my life. I won’t stop trying to remain alive. There are too many things I yet want to do in my life, so many promises made and plans to carry out. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disruptive illness, primarily because once the kidneys stop working there are no therapies available to rejuvenate them. The only options are either dialysis or to receive a kidney transplant. Needless to say if given a choice between the two I would easily choose a transplant. Most people would probably choose a transplant for a number of reasons, mostly because of the fact that it offers the most freedom and independence. With a transplant I would not be tied to an artificial kidney machine to keep me alive. However, to receive a transplant I first must connect to my donor. That's why I set up this campaign. I believe there are people willing to be my altruistic donor once they understand my story. They may have thought about it or may have even taken the steps in the past to be tested for somebody else, but were not a compatible match. Others may have the desire to save the life of someone like me, but they don’t know how to go about doing it. They may be concerned about financial costs, or the time they might be required to take off work or a host of other different concerns may be preventing them from doing what is in their mind to do. I want to state clearly through this campaign, any obstacle can be overcome if you have the heart to be the life-saving donor I so much need. Together we will bat down every obstacle. If you say you will be my donor we will successfully work through EVERYTHING in our way. If you will just YES to being my donor. Will you?
The evidence is clear now. The medical and scientific communities have proven that human beings can live their lifespan with just one healthy kidney and to some degree because of these facts there has been an increase in the number of living donors. More lives have been saved because of those generous donors. I hope that you will seriously consider being my donor and giving me a second chance at life. With the time afforded me by your gift-of-life, I will pay forward the richness of the tremendous kindness that you showed me. Thank you for your contemplation of becoming a living kidney donor. I most certainly need your help.
Sincerely,
Sandra
Hello,
Thank you for expressing interest and showing your support of my need for a living kidney donor.
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 send me a message (below). Thanks again!
Regards,
Sandra
Hear From An Expert:
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!
Video Testimonial:
I'm hoping to educate people about the donation process from the donor's perspective. I had so many questions about what my life would look like post donation and it was very difficult to find answers.
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 About Living Kidney Donation:
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.
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.
Take A Moment To Learn What A Difference You Could Make:
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 Sandra's story via your publication, then please send a direct message below.
