DON'T OVERLOOK SOURCES OF POTENTIAL DONORS(*CLICK TITLE TO READ FULL STORY)

IN 2005 WRITER CLYDE BEAL RECEIVED THE GIFT OF A DONATED KIDNEY FROM FELLOW CHURCH GOER FAITH JOHNSON. THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS ONLY AS FELLOW WORSHIPERS AND FAITH HAD NOTICED THE EVENTUAL DECLINE THAT OCCURS IN PATIENTS WITH END STAGE RENAL DISEASE AND WAS COMPELLED TO REACH OUT. THE TWO HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY DEVELOPED A DEEP FRIENDSHIP.


IT BRINGS UP AN INTERESTING POINT TO BE CONSIDERED BY ALL PERSONS WAITING FOR A KIDNEY. THE FIRST QUESTION THE TRANSPLANT CENTER WILL ASK IS "DO YOU HAVE A DONOR?" MOST PATIENTS SAY NO. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER ALL SOURCES OF DONORS-SPOUSES, FRIENDS, SIBLINGS AND EXPANDED PERSONS SUCH AS CO-WORKERS AND FELLOW CHURCH MEMBERS. I DON'T MEAN ASK PEOPLE OVER COFFEE BREAK BUT IT IS OKAY TO PUT OUT THE WORD YOU ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING A DONOR. MANY PERSONS WILL CONSIDER DONATION AS AN ACT OF ALTRUISM. BUT NOT IF YOU DON'T MAKE YOUR NEED KNOWN.


ALSO, IF YOU HAVE A POTENTIAL DONOR BUT THEY DO NOT MATCH YOU, DON'T GIVE UP. MANY PROGRAMS(MORE AND MORE)HAVE A SHARED DONOR PROGRAM (LIKE UF)IE SOMEONE ELSE USES YOUR DONOR'S KIDNEY AND YOU USE THEIR DONOR THAT DID NOT MATCH THEM. ONE OF OUR PATIENTS WAS INVOLVED IN THE FIRST 6 WAY TRANSPLANT DONE UP NORTH. HE DID GREAT AND SO DID HIS NIECE WHO DONATED HER KIDNEY AS ONE OF THE 3 DONORS.


THAT'S THE THING. IT'S YOUR KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. AND LIKE IT OR NOT YOU HAVE TO DO THE LEGWORK LIKE THE PATIENTS IN THESE STORIES. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ELECTIVE TRANSPLANT AND WAITING FOR A DECEASED KIDNEY IS USUALLY AN OFTEN PROLONGED TIME ON DIALYSIS. AND WHO DOESN'T WANT TO AVOID THAT?