DAWN NEEDS A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR
Dawn has spent her entire life helping others, we hope that someone will make the brave choice to help her by being her living kidney donor.
About DAWN
In February of 2019, Dawn’s nephrologist diagnosed her with Glomerulonephritis ANCA Vasculitis. She was then put on dialysis in May of that same year and would go to the University of Utah Health for her treatments. Dawn was placed on the kidney transplant waiting list in June of 2019 and then, in August, she started PD dialysis.
we need to find a living donor
Waiting 3-5 years for a kidney from a deceased donor is not the best path forward for Dawn. With a living donor, Dawn can get her kidney transplant sooner! Research has shown that when patients receive a kidney from a living donor, the outcome is generally better. Living kidney donation is also ideal because kidneys from living donors last longer and there is a lower chance Dawn’s immune system will attack her new kidney (rejection).
We are sharing Dawn’s story with those we know in the hope that we might be able to find a courageous living kidney donor. This donor would not only save Dawn’s life, but also give the greatest gift to her family as they cannot imagine a world without her in it.
who is eligible to donate?
Dawn is extremely lucky to have secured highly qualified medical help and support from the team at the University of Utah Health. She wants any interested persons to know that they will be in exceptional hands should they decide to step forward. UUH has shared the following as a pre-qualification list for donation:
- must be between the age of 18-69 years old.
- must be healthy and free of major health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, obesity (BMI of 37 or less).
- must be mentally and emotionally healthy.
You Can Help Save Dawn's Life!
Are You Interested In Donating?
If you are interested in being Dawn's living donor, please complete the short contact form below. A donor advocate will reach out to you within one business day to answer any questions you may have and will guide you through the next steps in the process.
Have Questions About donating?
Having questions is normal! We have a great resource available. Please complete the contact form below and a donor advocate named Laurie will reach out to you. Laurie is a living kidney donor who can answer any non-medical questions you may have, guide you through the process, and connect you to great resources. If you have medical questions, we can connect you with the right team member at the University of Utah Health.
No, but i want to help!
Thank you! The best way you can help is by following Dawn's Facebook page and sharing posts from her page as much as possible. The more shares we get, the more people we can reach, and the better chance we will have of finding Dawn's courageous donor.
PROCESS FOR STEPPING FORWARD AS A DONOR FOR DAWN
Below are the simple steps you will take to move through the living donor process. Know that even thinking about being Dawn’s living kidney donor is a courageous step and we are grateful for you!
COMPLETE CONTACT FORM
Fill out the short contact form below and Laurie, a donor advocate, will reach out to you within 1 business day to set up a time to connect.
DISCUSSION
During your time with Laurie, you will get to ask questions and get answers from a living kidney donor. She will tell you more about the process, address non-medical concerns, and connect you to valuable resources.
COMPLETE BREEZE
Breeze is a health questionnaire that will be reviewed by Dawn's medical team to determine your eligibility for living donation and next steps.
Kidney Transplant Facts
Here are some things you may not know about kidney transplant and living donation. After considering the facts, you will see why living kidney donation is Dawn’s best option for healing and living a full life.
THE WAITING LIST IS LONG
There are over 100,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list in the U.S. On average, most peopl will wait 3-5 years before getting a kidney from a deceased donor.
NEW NAME EVERY 9 MINUTES
Each day, 17 people die waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and a new name is added to the transplant waiting list every 9 minute
THERE'S A KIDNEY SHORTAGE
The shortage of kidneys for transplantation continues to be a public health crisis in the U.S.
LIVING DONORS HELP
5,700 living kidney donor surgeries occur annually in the U.S. and the vast majority of kidney donors know the person they donate to.
KIDNEYS ARE INCREDIBLE
When a person steps forward to donate a kidney, one is removed and the other grows and increases its function so the body can operate normally.
SPEEDY RECOVERY
Living kidney donors are often able to return to work within 2 weeks, and fully heal within 6-8 weeks.
From Dawn
“I want to thank anyone who is even considering being my donor. I know that person will sacrifice so much time and more. I’m beyond grateful. I look forward to life after transplant more than you know. I want to get theater tickets, travel, retire, and spend more time volunteering. I’ve give a lot of time to organizations as a DUP-officer, DAR-officer, and IFA-officer and have helped many people in those roles.”
Questions & Answers
Unfortunately, members of Dawn's family are either not a match or too unhealthy to donate at this time. In some cases, the best living donor is one who is not a family member, even when family members do step forward to donate.
While Dawn's insurance will provide coverage for the donor, the donor needs to have their own health insurance in the rare event an unknown health issues comes up for the donor.
While Dawn's insurance covers all costs related to the donation (for Dawn and the donor), there are expenses like travel, meals, and lost wages that you may be reimbursed for. There are resources available to ensure you are not paying for anything out of pocket. We can provide more information on those resources, if interested.
Living kidney donors are often able to return to work within 2 weeks, and fully heal within 6-8 weeks. After surgery, the donor’s remaining kidney will also grow in size and function, allowing them to live normal life with just one kidney.
Living kidney donors are often able to return to work within 2 weeks, and fully heal within 6-8 weeks. After surgery, the donor’s remaining kidney will also grow in size and function, allowing them to live normal life with just one kidney.
The ideal outcome is for Dawn is to find a living donor. She has already battled so much with her kidney disease that being on the kidney transplant waiting list for 3-5 years is simply not ideal. Long-term dialysis is also not ideal as it can lead to a variety of complications such as low blood pressure, injection site infection, and blood clots.
