03/15/2023
*Please Share*
Genevieve MacFarlane is in End Stage Kidney Disease (ESRD) and needs a living kidney donor of any blood type.
As many of you know, I have a genetic disease called Alport Syndrome. I’ve been progressively losing kidney function. There’s no recovering lost function. I'll soon require dialysis.
We've been searching for a donor with my kidney care team at University Health Network (UHN) in downtown Toronto. Unfortunately, all the generous volunteers evaluated so far have been unsuitable to donate. Only 1 in 5 people who volunteer are approved.
About me:
I’m an associate professor of Medical Laboratory Technology, sister, wife, and cat mom. I currently teach the next generation of Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) at Michener Institute to care for patients in labs and hospitals throughout Canada. It’s always been one of my dreams to make the world a better place through science and medicine. Working at Michener fulfilled this dream for me. I’m extremely passionate about my work, but my strength has been failing as my disease has progressed.
My husband and I planned to start a family after getting married five years ago, but my diagnosis put those plans on hold indefinitely. It was devastating news for us. It feels like our lives are on hold as we try to navigate kidney failure.
The impact of my condition is only partially managed by a strict regimen of medication. Unfortunately, my kidneys are no longer able to safely deal with most pain medications so I have to deal with the pain of this disease daily.
I’m spending my limited energy teaching, staying connected to friends and family, and traveling when I get the time. In my down time, I enjoy knitting while watching sitcoms of the 90s and any procedural crime drama I can find.
If I’m able to find a donor, I would love to explore becoming a mom. Just being able to live an independent life free of pain would be a great blessing.
The link to the form if you’d like to be evaluated is right here:https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Documents/Living_Donor_Health_History_Form.pdf
If you want to stay connected with me on my journey you can follow me here or at (https://www.instagram.com/donor4gen/) on Instagram.
Shanly Suepaul
