This Christmas season, as we reflect on the extraordinary gift God has given to us, we’re reminded of the ultimate gift we can offer too—hope and life. Thousands of people are waiting for kidney transplants, and for many, a living donor is their best chance for a healthy future. What many don’t realize is that one healthy person can donate a kidney and still live a full, vibrant life. The body only needs one kidney to function, making living donation not just possible, but life-changing for both the donor and recipient.
OCN Board Member Tina Uhl and her husband Bob
Currently, a member of our own OCN Board of Directors is in search of a living kidney donor.
Tina Uhl is a 44-year-old wife, attorney, and volunteer. Thirteen years ago, she was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a genetic and incurable condition that has caused medical complications and premature death in several members of her family. Complications associated with PKD can be delayed, but it is a progressive condition, and after many years of attempting to mitigate the damage with a healthy lifestyle, Tina is preparing to begin dialysis as her kidneys continue to fail.
“Dialysis will greatly limit my ability to do the things I love and to serve my community as I always have. It’s a difficult time for my husband and me, especially given his ongoing battle with stage 4 colorectal cancer, which precludes him from donating his kidney. Other family members who may be able to help share the same genetic risk. That’s why I hope to find someone outside my family—someone kind and selfless—who’s willing to consider donating a kidney to give me a chance at a full life.”
Please share Tina’s story, and consider becoming a living donor for a person whose life may be saved by your gift.
Living donors have the opportunity to give a gift that no material item can match. By choosing to become a donor, you can provide someone with more holidays to cherish, more time with loved ones, and a renewed sense of hope. Consider learning more about living donation and how you can be part of this life-saving miracle.
Visit kidneyregistry.com for more information and learn about Tina’s story here.
0 Comments