Mama J needs a Kidney

If anyone has any questions about being a live kidney donor!!!If you can’t help I understand but please share!!!Thank you in advance

Hey there Family and Friends,

Some of you may know that my mom, Mama J, or Rebaby to some of you has a kidney disease. Over time, her kidney disease has gotten worse causing her kidneys not to work well enough. This is what she has to face now, and her treatment options are limited to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant.

Getting regular dialysis treatments, for her is usually every day in a week for twelve hours at a time, it will help her kidneys do their job and keep her alive, but a transplant would offer her more freedom and the ability to live a longer, healthier, more normal life. A transplant would also give her more time to do the fun things she enjoy most, like spending time with her family and friends.

However, finding a kidney for a transplant is not easy. Just ask the 100,000+ people on the waiting list for a deceased donor kidney like her. Time is not on their side. Some wait for years; many die while waiting. The average wait time is five years or more for a kidney from a deceased donor. However, there is another option: receiving a kidney from a living donor.

Asking a family member or a friend to consider donating a kidney to her is difficult, but it greatly improves her chances of getting a transplant. A living kidney donation typically lasts longer and has better function.

You might not know a lot about living donation - I know I didn’t before kidney disease affected my moms life. Understandably, some people are afraid about the surgery and what living with one kidney will mean for them. Here’s some basic information about kidney donation:

* You only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
* You do not need to have the same blood type as your donor to get a kidney if you are in a paired exchange program. Visit the Programs for Donor/Recipient Pairs with Incompatible Blood Types page to learn more about paired exchange programs.
* Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions.
* The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.
* The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by her insurance. The hospital can give you extensive information on this.
* You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to evaluate you as a living donor. Their job is to help you understand the risks and benefits and look out for YOUR best interests.

You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NKF.CARES (855.653.2273) or [email protected]. If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NKF can also help.

Thank you for taking the time to read Mama J’s story. If donating a kidney to her is something you would like to consider, she (or her children) would be happy to tell you more about her story and explore the process of determining if you are a match for her. You can also contact her transplant center. (I will upload the contact information as soon as possible).

However, we know living donation may not be right for everyone — but you can still help! Consider being an organ donor after death and also, help us by sharing her story with everyone you know. At the very least WE want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. We are hopeful our efforts will help Mama J receive a kidney sooner and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the wait list.

Thank you,

THE BIG ASK:THE BIG GIVE - Start a conversation about living organ donation It is against the law to buy or sell organs, including kidneys. If someone contacts you to buy or sell a kidney, please disregard the request.