10/27/2024
I have a genetic autoimmune disease called Good Pasture Syndrome. It attacks the lungs and kidneys. My lungs survived, but not my kidneys. It rapidly damaged my kidneys which stopped functioning. My disease has no treatments or cure. I have only 2 options. I can get a kidney transplant or spend the rest of my life on dialysis. Transplant provides the best quality of life, but the average wait on this list can be 5 years or longer. Now that we know about our nation’s organ shortage, we realize we can’t rely on only deceased donors. By being a living donor, a healthy person can donate one of their kidneys while they are still alive! Living donor kidneys also offer greater benefits. There’s a higher success rate and a kidney from a living donor works almost twice as long as a kidney from a deceased donor. Living donors not only help those in need get a healthy kidney, they also prevent those in need from getting sicker or dying while they wait. Dialysis is very hard on the body. I think living donors are the Energizer bunnies of human kindness. Their donation keeps on giving a daily dose of life!
Many in my family wish they were younger/healthier/a different blood type so they could donate one of their kidneys. If you were healthy enough, would you ever consider donating a kidney?
