JOHN NEEDS A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR
John has spent most of his life giving to others. It makes it difficult for him to ask for help, but he needs your help to find his special living kidney donor!
About JOHN
John dealt with kidney disease for over 10 years before it became a serious problem. His GFR fell to an 18 and, after having a biopsy, it was determined his kidney function would not improve. That is when John and his doctor decided to have him get listed on the kidney transplant waiting list. Thankfully, John is not yet on dialysis and he hopes to avoid it by getting a kidney transplant as soon as possible.
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 John. With a living donor, John can get his 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 John’s immune system will attack his new kidney (rejection).
We are sharing John’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 and save John’s life, but also give the greatest gift to his wife and family as they cannot imagine a world without John in it.
who is eligible to donate?
John is extremely lucky to have secured highly qualified medical help and support from the team at the University of Utah Health. He 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 John's Life!
Are You Interested In Donating?
If you are interested in being John'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 John's Facebook page and sharing posts from his 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 Blake's courageous donor.
PROCESS FOR STEPPING FORWARD AS A DONOR FOR JOHN
Below are the simple steps you will take to move through the living donor process. Know that even thinking about being a 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 the 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 the 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 John
“Thank you. It’s always been hard for me to accept help. I look forward to celebrating all of my grand baby’s birthdays. My wife and I will also celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary in February. My son will be graduating high school in 2 years, and hopefully my oldest son’s wedding in the very near future as well.”
Questions & Answers
Most of John’s family cannot donate for health reasons. In some cases, the best living donor is one who is not a family member, even when family members do step forward to donate.
Yes, the hospital requires that you have insurance to be considered as a living donor in the event an unknown health issues comes up for the donor.
While the patient’s insurance covers all costs related to the donation (for the patient 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 John is to find a living donor. He has already battled so much with his 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.
