My name is Kevin Wedemeyer and I am in need of a kidney.  I have end stage chronic kidney disease.  Over time, my kidney disease has gotten worse causing my kidneys not to work well enough to keep me alive. 

This is what I am facing now, and my treatment options are limited to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant.

Getting regular dialysis treatments, is usually three times a week,  for four hours at a time. Dialysis will help my kidneys do their job and keep me alive, but it can only last so long.

The best option would be a kidney transplant. 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 with my family and friends, and to do the fun things I enjoy. 

Finding a kidney for a transplant is not easy. The shortage of kidneys for transplantation continues to be a public health crisis in the U.S. approximately 100,000 patients are waiting for kidney transplants like me, yet only about 13,000 transplants are performed each year.  Annually, nearly 5,000 people on the transplant waiting list die without getting a transplant.  That is about 20 people each day.  Time is not on our side.  Some wait for years; many die while waiting. The average wait time is 13 years or more for a kidney from a deceased donor. 

Another option is receiving a kidney from a living donor. A living kidney donation typically lasts longer and has better function than a kidney from a deceased donor.  Asking a family member, a friend, or even a “Good Samaritan” to consider donating a kidney to me, will greatly improves my chances of getting a transplant. As a kidney transplant from a living donor can be done right away and can be scheduled ahead to fit the needs of both the donor and recipient and eliminating the long wait for a deceased donor. 

You might not know a lot about living donation - I know I didn’t before kidney disease affected my life. Understandably, some people are afraid about the surgery and what living with one kidney will mean for them. Here’s some basic information about kidney donation:

• You only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
• Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions.
• The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.
• The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my insurance. The hospital can give you extensive information on this.
• 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.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If donating a kidney to me is something you would like to consider, I would be happy to tell you more about my story and explore the process of determining if you are a match for me. 

You can also contact my transplant center directly at (858) 650-5015 or www.sharp.donorscreen.org.  

You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NKF.CARES (855.653.2273) or nkfcares@kidney.org.

If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NKF can also help.

I know living donation may not be right for everyone — but you can still help! Consider being an organ donor after death.

Help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. At the very least I want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. I am hopeful my efforts will help me receive a kidney sooner and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the wait list.

Thank you, Kevin Wedemeyer