Transplant Athlete Blog

Transplant Athlete

Monday, January 10, 2005

I found this great site that details the process for becoming a live organ donor: livingdonorsonline.org.

Here are the current stats:

People Waiting For A Life Saving Organ Transplant	87,170
Of those waiting
60,394	Need A Kidney
17,330	Need A Liver
3,300	Need A Heart
3,900	Need A Lung
Source:UNOS

You can make a difference. You can donate a kidney right now, you can donate a piece of your liver right now, you can donate bone marrow right now. With all of the other diseases that are out there right like Cancer, AIDS, And Alzheimer's - that don't have cures, we need to lick this problem, so we can move on.

I'm still researching the best way for someone to become a living donor, but in the meantime, you can visit Matchingdonors.com. This site which may seem a bit shady on first glance allows donors to match up to patients in need of a transplant. The one thing I don't like about this site is it turns the process into a beauty contest(yes, they do post pictures), who can write the best essay, who can put up the saddest story, who can pay a monthly $295 fee to be listed(Ouch, that's steep and they are charging the most desperate group of people on the planet.)
Organ allocation should go to those with the highest need. Of course, this Blog is being written by a guy who didn't have to wait 5 years on painful dialysis. A guy whose Mom gave him a kidney when he was put on the waiting list.

They have some interesting things to say about UNOS, the "non-profit" organization which is supposed to allocate organs by need. go here for more info.

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In 1986, doctors discovered that my Kidneys were failing, they gradually got worse until September 25, 2000 when my mother donated a kidney.

After the transplant, I felt like I needed to prove something to myself, so I took a bicycle tour(PACTour) across the US. I've competed at the US and the World Transplant Games as well as in Ultra distance events. My transplant will likely fail in the next couple of months and I'm currently preparing to go on dialysis.

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If you decide to be an Organ Donor:
1) Tell your family your wishes.
2) Sign an Organ Donor Card.

You can make a difference!

Warning Signs for Kidney Disease:

High Blood Pressure
Burning or Difficulty when Urinating
Frequent Urination at Night
Blood in your urine
Cola or tea colored urine
Swellig of the eyes, ankles, or feet
Lower back pain unrelated to physical activity

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