Our Quest
Mike's worsening condition requires that he receive a kidney transplant now. And, the quickest way to receive a transplant is through the donation of a spare, non-vital living organ --- such as one of the two kidneys found in most of us. LIVING kidney donors save lives.
More specifically, we're on a quest for Directed Donors, which allows living kidney donors with Mike's same blood type O+ (including donors with blood types O+ and O-) to name Mike as the person to receive their donated kidneys.
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​​The good news is that the number of living kidney donors is increasing. ​In 2023, nearly 6,300 living-donor kidney transplants were performed in the U.S.
In fact, two members of our family have already chosen to Give the Gift of Life by donating kidneys to others. These family members are now well into their 70s -- living without complications.
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As I always say, "I truly believe that God has blessed us with two kidneys so that, when the time comes, we might bless someone else with the Gift of Life."
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Through medical advancements such as sophisticated donor testing and robotics, living-donor kidney transplants are safe --- with donor in-hospital recovery times averaging just a day or two.
And, according to the National Kidney Foundation, living donors report a boost in self-esteem --- while 9 out of 10 say they would do it again.
And the good news about living kidney donations gets better because potential donors to Mike who do NOT have blood types O+ or O- can still donate to him through the Paired Donation or Paired Exchange system which unites and then swaps two pairs of living donors and their recipients so that each recipient receives a kidney from the other person.
A Safe Process
We are blessed with family and close friends who have stepped forward to be tested as living donors for Mike.
Unfortunately, the screening process is complex and many of us have been ruled-out as donors --- through no fault of our own.
Plus, Mike isn't used to being in the public eye for himself. It's very overwhelming for this humble, private man to ask for help.
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That's why I'm on a quest to find Mike's living donor hero.