Kidney Mama

Former Book Guild owner Doug Robertson heard a story on the news about a woman who received a kidney transplant. He thought, “What a good thing to do for someone.” And so it began.

One month since becoming a living kidney donor, Doug knows only that his recipient is doing well.

“Hopefully, this will save their life — or at least prolong it,” he said.

Robertson called his own recovery “terrific.” He can now do everything he was doing before the surgery — aside from heavy lifting. There are no changes necessary to Robertson’s diet or lifestyle, he said.

“I’ve always been in great health; my biggest frustration was waiting for [the kidney transplant] to happen,” Robertson said. “I had to put it in perspective that the recipient has been waiting for years for a transplant and they are not well. … I would do it again in a heartbeat, if I had another kidney (to give).”

Congrats to Doug and his lucky kidney transplant recipient.

Lee Adams donated a kidney a few years ago to her brother-in-law. Since then, she’s held a country concert every year to benefit living kidney donation. This year, Lee’s hoping the event will raise $10,000.

Proceeds go to the University of Maryland Medical Clinic Living Organ Donor Clinic, which offers free testing and care for living kidney donors, among others.

The event is tomorrow night; good luck, girl.

The Kidney Transplant Donor Risk Index Calculator (Medical) iPhone/iPad app calculates the risk for an individual to be a living kidney donor. Turns out there are a lot of kidney related apps on iTunes. Who knew?

Harvey Mysel is the recipient of a kidney from a living kidney donor, and now runs the Living Kidney Donor Network. He holds workshops for people who need a kidney transplant on how best to do outreach to find someone willing to donate. Like me, Harvey believes that when they become aware of the need, good people will step up and become living kidney donors.

This is from Harvey’s blog:

Wouldn’t it be nice if….

Someone who is in need of a kidney transplant attended a Living Kidney Donors Network Workshop and was told to go out and tell everyone they meet about their situation ….imagine that this person puts a sign in his front yard explaining his need …..and places fliers on local community boards, in libraries, stores and banks that describe his situation. Imagine that the local newspaper would show an interest and write a story about him….and local TV stations would interview him….and CNN and other national media companies would air the story. Could you imagine that over 200 people would call this person to say that they want to help and offer to donate one of their kidneys? Could that really happen?

Well, you don’t have to imagine it….that is what happened to Mark Wolper last week.

I have been helping Mark and his friends returning phone calls and emails to all those people, thanking them. And to make this story even more interesting, these people have indicated that they are willing to donate to someone else when Mark finds his one donor.

Fantastic. Especially the part about being willing to donate to someone else if not Mark.

Sue Cumberland was happy to be tested as a potential living kidney donor when she heard that family friend Tom Winlow was in need of a kidney transplant.

“I know Tom’s parents would have come forward if they’d been in a position to do so.

“But as a mother of three myself, I thought if it were one of my children I’d be hoping someone would come forward.”

Tom is, as you might imagine, appreciative.

“I can’t put into words how I feel about it. There is nothing I could say or do that would even come close.

“This transplant operation is going to give me so much freedom.”

Good luck to both families for a successful kidney transplant!

South African 7-year-old Innocent Mphimola is doing great after his dad, William Mphimola, donated a kidney to him last fall. each has a small scar and a big smile.

They look relaxed and healthy and William says he’s suffered no adverse reaction since the kidney transplant. “I’m just very happy I could help my boy,” he says.

Andrew and Daniel Williams are both doing nicely after Andrew became a living kidney donor for Daniel last week.

Daniel recalls being a bit emotional as the two were wheeled into surgery for the kidney transplant.

“I saw him as he was going past the ward on the operating table. He just waved at me and I was in tears as he was being wheeled away.”

Andrew said he wasn’t too worried about being a kidney donor.

“I wasn’t too worried about myself. I was just thinking ‘as long as it takes’ – I was worried that Daniel’s body might reject the organ.”

So far, so good, says Daniel.

“As soon as I opened my eyes I knew I was better. “I’ve reacted to it really well, it’s given me a new lease of life.

“I have an appetite for the first time in months and my eyes are clear – before my eyes were red all the time.”

Abby Vara was recently honored as ambassador of Ottawa’s Give the Gift of Life Walk for donating a kidney to her dad, Erampamoorthy Varaprasatham. She’s happy to do it, but doesn’t think her kidney donation was such a big deal.

“I don’t feel like I gave anything up. It was something I did to help my family. … It’s weird when people say I did something amazing,” she said.

Was she worried about the surgery? Not so much.

“I definitely wasn’t scared for myself,” she said. “I was worried for my dad. I’d give up my life for my dad’s.”

One year later, with her dad in much better health, the college student wants others to understand the importance of living kidney donation.

“My goal is to help people who are thinking of donating and sharing my story,” she said. “I want to let them know that it’s so worthwhile. One thing is to understand the risks, but my dad is worth the world, and we had such an amazing outcome from it.”

When fellow Moose Steve Bricker needed a kidney transplant John Winters antlered up and offered to be a living kidney donor.

“It all started out as a joke,” Winters said. “I brought up that I was O positive, and Steve’s wife said he needed an O positive donor. I said, ‘Test me,’ but I never thought I would be a match.”

Yeah, be careful what you joke about, because kidney matches are not that complicated.

“I was elated,” Bricker said. “They said the match was so good, we could have been brothers.”

The transplant happened in May, and Winters is back at work.

“I’m living proof that you can do it and still have a normal life,” he said. “I really haven’t changed a thing.”

Congrats!

A few years ago, New Zealander Karen Mills heard that the teacher in the classroom next door was facing kidney failure.

She did some research, talked to her family and offered to donate one of her kidneys.

“I couldn’t have children of my own and I felt this was my gift of life. It just sort of came at the right time for me.

“It felt like the right thing to do,” she says simply.

Ian says Karen never wavered in her determination, and he’s ever so grateful:

“How does a person say thank you?” Ian says. ”My incredible workmate has become my hero.”