VAL IS IN NEED OF A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR
Val has spent most of her life helping others through her work in the medical profession. Now, she is hopeful someone will see her story and decide to become her courageous living kidney donor.
About VAL
In her mid-to-late-thirties, it was discovered that Val had lumps in her kidneys as well as enlarged kidneys. A short time later, it was determined she had PKD. Her PKD was discovered accidentally, and she simply managed the disease until the beginning of this year where, during an appointment, Val’s blood levels were noticeably different. She was told by her nephrologist to prepare for dialysis. However, Val told her medical team she did not want to start dialysis and chose to pursue kidney transplantation instead. Val has started the transplant screening process and was informed that she would need to find a living kidney donor.
we need to find a living donor
With a living donor, Val 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 than a deceased donor and there is a lower chance Val’s immune system will attack her new kidney (rejection).
who is eligible to donate?
Val is extremely lucky to have secured highly qualified medical help and support from the team at Northwestern Medicine. She wants any interested persons to know that they will be in exceptional hands should they decide to step forward. Northwestern Medicine has shared the following as a pre-qualification list for donation:
- Must be in good physical and mental health, at least 18 years old, and have a body mass index (BMI) that is less than 35.
- Must be free from uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, active cancer, active infection, and certain other medical conditions as determined by the medical team.
You Can Help Save Val's Life!
Are You Interested In Donating?
If you are interested in becoming Val'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 Northwestern Medicine.
No, but i want to help!
Thank you! The best way you can help is by following Val's kidney 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 Val’s courageous donor.
PROCESS FOR STEPPING FORWARD AS A DONOR FOR VAL
Below are the simple steps you will take to move through the living donor process. Know that even thinking about being Val’s living kidney donor is a brave 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 FORM
Breeze is a health questionnaire that will be reviewed by Val's medical team to determine your eligibility for living donation and the next steps.
Kidney Transplant Facts
Here are some things you may not know that reflect the urgent need for kidney transplants and living donation. After considering the facts, you will see why living kidney donation is Val’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 people 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 minutes.
THERE'S A KIDNEY SHORTAGE
The shortage of deceased 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, only 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 Val
“I would be forever grateful to anyone caring enough and brave enough to donate a kidney. I wouldn’t know how to express the depth of that gratitude, or even if I would know who the donor is. I can’t think of anything that would be particularly hard to say. I would just hope that whoever this person is that they would know the profundity of their giving act, and would be bolstered by what they have done. I have heard that many donors feel as if donating changed their lives for the better.”
Questions & Answers
Unfortunately, the kidney disease (PKD) that Val has is genetic, which means several of her close family members already have it or could have it. Therefore, they are not eligible to donate to Val. It’s important to know that, in some cases, the best living donor is one who is not a family member.
While Val's insurance will provide coverage for the donor's testing and surgery, the donor needs to have their own health insurance in the rare event any unknown health issues come up for the donor.
While Val’s insurance covers all costs related to the donation (for Val and the donor), there are expenses like travel, meals, and lost wages that Val can legally reimburse you for. There are also additional resources available to ensure you are not paying for anything out of pocket. We can provide more information about those resources upon request.
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 grow in size and function, allowing them to live normal life with just one kidney.
The following are pre-qualification requirements for living kidney donation: must be in good physical and mental health, at least 18 years old, and have a body mass index (BMI) that is less than 35. Must be free from uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, active cancer, active infection, and certain other medical conditions as determined by the medical team.
The ideal outcome for Val is to find a living donor. She has already battled so much with her kidney disease. Long-term dialysis is not ideal as it can lead to a variety of complications such as low blood pressure (which causes dizziness), blood clots, and even death.
