Mike was just seven years old when he lost his father to kidney disease, and many years later he learned that he was at an advanced stage of the inherited condition called polycystic kidney disease (PKD), and his kidneys were slowly failing. 2019 was a very challenging year and Mike experienced multiple medical issues. He knew he needed a transplant, and that the waitlist was long and with no guarantees. 

Mike started researching how to go about receiving a kidney from a living donor, and he came across resources from “The Big Ask, The Big Give,” a program of The National Kidney Foundation. Asking for a kidney can be awkward, and using social media is a whole different world for someone who never used Facebook, so Mike needed a champion. In this episode he shares how before he asked for a kidney, he had to ask for help, and navigate the pandemic at the same time. 

Meanwhile, Mike’s niece Andrea had never thought very much about donating an organ until she heard Uncle Mike’s story. In the second part of this episode, Andrea shares with us how she came to the realization that she could do something significant to help. She also discusses how gifting a kidney has opened up a new and unexpected richness in her life, including her involvement with Kidney Donor Athletes, and a recent trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. 

FULL TRANSCRIPT ⬇

With host and series producer Rolf Taylor. 

Resources mentioned during this episode: 

The Big Ask, The Big Give, NKF   www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors 

Kidney Donor Athletes    www.kidneydonorathlete.org/ 

Kidney Transplant Conversations is underwritten by Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All views and opinions expressed in the podcast reflect those of the participants and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Excerpts

“I’m not very media savvy, let’s put it that way. I don’t do any social things on the internet because I’m an old guy. They said find someone to be your champion. My daughter-in-law volunteered for this project.” – Mike

“What happened to me was a miracle because if you look at kidney transplants for people my age, it’s really low, when I got my transplant, I was 69.”  – Mike

“The next words she said were “I’m approved as a donor for Uncle Mike. It just came out of the blue! We had no idea that she went through all these tests. She didn’t want anyone to know in case she could not help.”  – Mike

“It has been one of the best things that I have done in my life. I’m just so grateful for the doctors and for science and for all the support that I was able to find. I was so blessed to be able to give this gift.”  – Andrea 

© Project Advocacy, 2022 - 2023

In the previous episode we heard Darryl’s story, how he needed a kidney transplant because of kidney cancer. This week we meet Jim, who responded to “The Big Ask,” and donated a kidney to his close friend Darryl. Jim shares with us his side of the story, explaining why doing this for his “brother” was so important to him, and he describes his overall experience of making “The Big Give.”

And Dr. Adam Bregman joins us to talk about his experience with kidney transplant patients using resources from programs such as “The Big Ask, The Big Give” to help find their own living donor. He also explains how a kidney from a living donor tends to last longer. We also explore the subject of health disparities in kidney disease and discuss some of the root causes.

FULL TRANSCRIPT ⬇

With host and series producer Rolf Taylor.

Resources mentioned during this episode:

The Big Ask, The Big Give, National Kidney Foundation                www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors

Kidney Transplant Conversations is underwritten by Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All views and opinions expressed in the podcast reflect those of the participants and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

© Project Advocacy, 2022-2023 

In our last episode, the first of several episodes celebrating National Donate Life Month, we sat down with Jennifer Martin from the National Kidney Foundation and learned about “The Big Ask, The Big Give”, a program dedicated to helping people with chronic kidney disease find their living kidney donor.

In this episode we meet military veteran Darryl Shaw, a kidney cancer survivor who also served multiple tours of duty. Darryl’s family members helped champion a successful campaign to raise funds for a kidney transplant, funding that helped his eventual living donor complete the initial compatibility tests. Darryl now volunteers as a mentor with programs such as “The Big Ask, The Big Give” from NKF, sharing his experiences and giving encouragement. He can offer perspectives from the point of view of ESKD patient who received a kidney from a friend and colleague, as well as being someone who opted for home dialysis and overcame many medical challenges. Darryl is now studying for his master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling, and he plans to continue in service to the kidney patient community.

With host and series producer Rolf Taylor.

FULL TRANSCRIPT ⬇️ 

Resources mentioned during the podcast:

Every April is National Donate Life month  www.donatelife.net/ndlm/

The Big Ask, The Big Give, NKF  www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors

The National Foundation for Transplants  www.transplants.org

Mighty Cause  www.mightycause.org

We thank the participants and advisors who help make Kidney Transplant Conversations possible.

Kidney Transplant Conversations is underwritten by Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All views and opinions expressed in the podcast reflect those of the participants and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

© Project Advocacy, 2022