CKD_My Journey

give the gift

of life

Donor needed

YOUR

SHARE SPARE

Living with

chronic kidney disease

MY JOURNEY

To start the living donor process please complete the online

referral located at musc.co/livingdonorform

Your selflessness is extraordinary

My name is Toria M and I am a 46 year old single mom of three from Florence, South Carolina.

I am beginning this campaign to express my desire to pursue the option of a kidney transplant. This has been difficult for me to write but I have put my faith and trust in God that if you are reading this, you are someone who may be able and willing to help me accomplish this life changing goal for not only myself but for others looking to swap or use of a chain donation as well.

Many of you may know that I had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2008. After several years of relapses and hospitalizations, I am now facing kidney disease. In 2016, I had a surgery that nearly took my life and my body did not respond well to the medications given. Unfortunately, this threw my kidneys into shock and failure. Over time, my kidneys have gotten worse, causing my kidneys not to work well enough to keep me alive. My treatment options are limited to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant.

Getting regular dialysis treatments, usually three times a week for four hours at a time, will help my kidneys do their job and keep me alive, but a transplant would offer me more freedom and the ability to live a longer, healthier, more normal life. A transplant would also give me more time to do the fun things I enjoy most, like spending time with my 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 me. Time is not on our 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.

According to my nephrologist, transplant is still the recommended treatment for patients with end-stage kidney disease. A living donor transplant is recommended as the best-case scenario for me to resume a healthy life. At this point in my life, I am hoping to move towards a transplant while my physicians and transplant team feel that I am still medically suitable to undergo the procedure. The organ wait list for deceased (cadaveric) donors could be a possible 5+ year wait for me at the present time. That’s a long time, and I have no idea whether I’ll be medical suitability for a transplant at that time.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If donating a kidney to me is something you’d like to consider, please complete the living donor referral form at musc.co/livingdonorform. You can also contact the MUSC Health Transplant Center directly at 843-792-5097.

DONATE

BE MY CHAMPION

a "champion,” someone who helpS share MY need

and help to FIND A POTENTIAL LIVING DONORS.

Living kidney donation is a lifesaving decision.

BECOME A LIVING DONOR

Living Kidney Donation

Living kidney donation is a lifesaving decision. In addition to being the gift of life, a living kidney lasts longer than one from a deceased individual. It starts working immediately after transplant and can shorten or even prevent dialysis treatment. Moreover, a living kidney reduces a recipient’s wait time and allows for surgery to be scheduled at the convenience of the donor and the recipient.

Indirect Donation through kidney paired donation (KPD):

Indirect donation through kidney paired donation (KPD):

Potential donors are sometimes healthy enough to donate but may not be compatible with their intended recipient.

The donor can still help their loved one by participating in Kidney Paired Donation (aka Paired Exchange). There are two types of KPD surgeries: Living Donor Swap and a Living Donor Chain.

Directed Donation

Directed donation: Direct donation is when a potential

donor enters into the living donor process with a specific

recipient in mind. In order for a direct donation to take place, donors and recipients must have compatible blood types and immune systems. Other factors, such as difference in age and size, may also be taken into consideration when determining if a donor and recipient are a match.

Non-directed Donation

Non-directed donation: Sometimes a donor comes forward without a specific recipient in mind. A Non-Directed Donor is also called a Good Samaritan or Altruistic Donor. Non-Directed Donors have the option to later identify a specific recipient or start a living donor chain. This type of chain endson a MUSC waitlist recipient.

living

KIDNEY

donation

STEP BY STEP

Kidney transplants from a living donor may last twice as long as a deceased donor kidney.

REFERRAL SCREENING EVALUATION SELECTION

Donors do not need to be a blood type match with the recipient due to MUSC successful exchange program (all blood types are welcome)!
Donors must be at least 18 years of age and there is no upper age limit
Testing is billed to the recipient's insurance
Programs may be able to assist with additional costs, such as travel text.
You need just one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.

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.

BENEFITS

OF LIVING

KIDNEY DONATION

DID YOU KNOW

Shortens wait time; the wait time for a kidney on the national deceased donor can be up to 5 years. However, with a living donor, surgery can be

planned once the donor and recipient are approved

Shortens the waiting time for others on the waiting list.

May shorten time on dialysis or help to avoid dialysis, reducing risk for potential deterioration of health.

Short- and long-term survival rates are significantly better for transplants from living donors than transplants from deceased donors.

Living Donor Referral form: musc.co/livingdonorform

cLICK hERE FOR MORE

DID YOU KNOW

Living donor kidneys almost always start functioning immediately, whereas deceased donor kidneys can take from a few days to a few weeks to start functioning (Sleepy Kidney).

Surgery is scheduled, giving the donor, recipient, caregivers and family time to plan.

Knowing a kidney is available and wait time is reduced eases stress.

Research shows that the psychological benefits for a donor and recipient are immense. A recipient can experience positive feelings knowing that the gift came from a loved one or a caring stranger.