I am a veteran of the the US Army Jan 1967 to Jan 1969 and of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps July 1972 to Mar 1999. I am in need of a live kidney donor. I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus and Chronic kidney disease in 1995. Since that time my kidney function deteriorated to its current state. My nephrologist referred me to the Mason Transplant center at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, GA where I have been placed on the transplant waiting list. To be added to the list you have to be on dialysis and/or diagnosed as end-stage kidney failure (creatinine clearance less than 20).The wait for a kidney differs at individual centers vary with the Mason center averaging 3 to 8 years. Patients with O blood at the Mason clinic have been averaging the longest waiting times. I have O+ blood. The use of a live donor kidney reduces the wait time to 6 months to a year.The advantage of a transplant for my age group (70 to 74) is an increase in life expectancy of 7 to 8 years longer than for patients treated with dialysis, as well as, with a more active life style as Dialysis which is time-consuming requiring you to allow a minimum of 3 to 4 hours a day, 3 to 4 days per week. In addition is the reduced wait time for the transplant to 6 months to a year rather than 3 to as much as 8 years. For the donor, there are no health concerns for having only one normally functioning kidney. Donation is Like flying in a modern jet. The chance of problems is practically non existant with the ride to the hospital/airport being the most dangerous part of the experience.Donors are thoroughly tested to assure that their donation will essentially have no effect on their future life. The procedures and other information can be be explained by the Transplant program recruitment personnel. Also your not having O blood is not a deterrent, as a match program is available which will match your non O blood kidney with an appropriate one, yours going to the matched recipient and the other matched donor kidney coming to me. (See attached file - Kidney Donor.pdf) A transplant essentially returns me to a much-improved life. For me of special note are the frequent monthly visits to the Hematologist for blood counts and other injections, frequent ER visits, and the constant fatigue which would become a thing of the past. For additional information please contact the Mason Transport Program at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, GA. The transplant recruitment coordinator transplant candidates whose last name ends in A to L is Ms. Leanne Whitehead, RN at 404-605-4605. She can inform you of the requirements and procedures necessary to participate in the donor program.
Regardless of your thoughts on organ transplantation, please consider checking that box on your driver's license (if you got one) to become an organ donor. There is a critical shortage of organs available for transplant. Many lives have been saved by organs donated after unfortunate circumstances and many more can be saved in the future. Thank you for your consideration and time.
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