Since our next topic of discussion will be kidney transplant, I wanted to talk about the need for organ donors and the need for more awareness about organ donation. Currently there are 119,610 candidates in United States waiting for lifesaving transplants and 97,610 of those are waiting for kidneys. Everyday we lose 18 patients to the battle against chronic kidney disease. This is simply unacceptable and something needs to change. So what's one thing we as kidney patients can do? We can raise awareness about living donation. Since there is such a shortage of deceased organs for transplant this may be the best source to help save and improve the lives of so many waiting.
The fact is over 6,000 friends, family members and complete strangers stepped up to be living donors last year. And this year we need ever more because the list keeps growing by the minute. Every ten minutes a new patient is added. What does it take to be a living donor? A living donor must be eighteen years of age or older and in a good physical and mental health. Each potential donor must go through a full medical and psychosocial evaluation. There are several medical conditions that would prevent someone from becoming a living donor such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and HIV. Also a psychiatric condition which requires treatment may prevent someone from becoming a living donor as well. It's important that a potential donor be fully informed of all the risks associated with donation. This is a decision that needs to be made completely voluntarily and without guilt.
There are so many positive aspects of living donation including the ability to save the life of the transplant candidate and the sense of pride knowing that you made a huge impact on the live of another. Giving them the chance to return to a "normal" life and allowing them to pursue their lives dreams. Some benefits to doing a live donor transplant include the flexibility to schedule the surgery when it's best for both donor and recipient. Most live donor kidneys start to work immediately which eliminates the need for additional dialysis. The biggest advantage to a living donor transplant is it cuts down on waiting time and spares the patient years on the waiting list, right now its an average of three years waiting for a kidney.
The ways I have helped raised awareness for organ donation have been; to participate in Kidney Walks, speaking at the Kidney Patient and Family Awareness Day, using Facebook and creating my own kidney disease awareness page, and of course writing this blog. I feel it is the responsibility of every kidney patient to do either part to help raise awareness. I also feel its important to help push the awareness of living donation because of its huge potential since there is such a shortage of deceased organs for transplant.
Before I sign off for today, I wanted to make all my readers aware of an event being held by one of our guest bloggers, kidney transplant recipients and World Transplant athletes Robin Lataille. She is doing a fundraising event to help her get the U.S Transplant games next summer. So if your in or around the Sturbridge, Mass. area she is holding a bake sale @ Tractor Supply 178 Main St. Sturbridge from 9 to 6 pm. on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Please if your in the area stop by and help with this worthy cause. She is also looking for anyone who would like to help bake please email her at robilat@charter.net if your interested in baking.
I want to thank you again for joining me on this journey, I look forward to your questions, comments, or concerns.
Keep on fighting, you Kidney Warriors!
~Kidney Blogger
The fact is over 6,000 friends, family members and complete strangers stepped up to be living donors last year. And this year we need ever more because the list keeps growing by the minute. Every ten minutes a new patient is added. What does it take to be a living donor? A living donor must be eighteen years of age or older and in a good physical and mental health. Each potential donor must go through a full medical and psychosocial evaluation. There are several medical conditions that would prevent someone from becoming a living donor such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and HIV. Also a psychiatric condition which requires treatment may prevent someone from becoming a living donor as well. It's important that a potential donor be fully informed of all the risks associated with donation. This is a decision that needs to be made completely voluntarily and without guilt.
The ways I have helped raised awareness for organ donation have been; to participate in Kidney Walks, speaking at the Kidney Patient and Family Awareness Day, using Facebook and creating my own kidney disease awareness page, and of course writing this blog. I feel it is the responsibility of every kidney patient to do either part to help raise awareness. I also feel its important to help push the awareness of living donation because of its huge potential since there is such a shortage of deceased organs for transplant.
I want to thank you again for joining me on this journey, I look forward to your questions, comments, or concerns.
Keep on fighting, you Kidney Warriors!
~Kidney Blogger
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