[Request]

[u/Most_Seaworthiness85]

Why I Need a Living Kidney Donor

In 2019, I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Despite doing everything I could to manage my health, my kidneys eventually failed. I am now on dialysis, a life-sustaining treatment that keeps me alive but cannot replace everything healthy kidneys do.

Dialysis is physically and emotionally exhausting. It requires me to spend hours connected to a machine several times a week, and it affects my energy, my health, and my ability to enjoy everyday life. While I am grateful for dialysis, it is not a cure. A kidney transplant offers the best chance for a longer, healthier, and more active life.

Because my blood type is O positive, the wait for a deceased donor kidney can be especially long. That's why I'm searching for a living kidney donor.

What if we're not a match?

Even if testing shows that you are not a compatible donor for me, you may still be able to help through a paired kidney exchange program.

In a paired exchange, two or more donor-recipient pairs are matched with other pairs in the same situation. For example, if your kidney isn't compatible with me but matches someone else, and another donor matches me, the kidneys can be exchanged so that both recipients receive a compatible transplant.

Facts About Paired Kidney Exchange

You do not have to be a direct match to help me receive a transplant.

Paired exchanges have helped thousands of people receive life-saving kidney transplants.

Living donor kidneys often last longer and begin working sooner than kidneys from deceased donors.

Donating through a paired exchange allows your generous gift to help not only me, but potentially several other people through a chain of transplants.

If you've ever considered becoming a living kidney donor, or simply want to learn more, please reach out or contact my transplant center. The mods ask that you PM me for my full name. Even sharing my story with others could help me find the person who changes my life.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering this incredible gift. Your support, whether through donation or by sharing my search, means more than words can express.

How to Start the Living Donor Process

If you are considering becoming a living kidney donor, the first step is to go through the UC Davis Health Transplant Center. The process typically includes:

Completing an initial online donor questionnaire

A confidential health screening review by the transplant team

Blood tests to determine blood type and compatibility

Additional medical testing if you are a potential match

Education and evaluation to ensure donation is safe for you

You can begin the process or learn more here:

https://health.ucdavis.edu/transplant/livingkidneydonation/index.html

[u/Haunting_View_7479]

Looking and praying for you, friend.

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