Birch Island woman to donate kidney to best friend

[okarol]

Birch Island woman to donate kidney to best friend

By The Clearwater Times
Apr 23 2007

“For some reason, I’ve always been proud of being a type O+,” says Birch Island resident, Annie Martin. “Now I know why.”

Being O+ makes Martin a universal donor.

“It took me about five seconds to make up my mind. I simply turned to my best friend and said, ‘Would you like a kidney?’”

Little did she know, things were going to be a little more complicated than that.

Martin met best friend, Isabelle Potvin, sixteen years ago when both were new to a large school in Quebec. The connection was immediate and by the end of the seventh grade, the pair were inseparable.

“Since then, we have always remained very close friends, even when we’ve lived far apart,” says the 28-year-old wife and mom of three.

Symptoms set in

About eight years ago, Potvin started to notice blood in her urine.

She underwent a string of tests to determine the cause of the bleeding. Doctors did not find anything conclusive: no bladder infection, no stones, no cancer.

With no probable cause, the situation was brushed off and left at that.

In 2002, pregnant with her daughter, the bleeding worsened. Suffering from anemia and quite worried, Potvin had to wait for her child to be born to undergo further testing.

Her daughter was nearly two years old when she was finally diagnosed with Berger disease, a rare auto-immune system condition.

“Basically, Isabelle’s body is attacking her kidneys,” explains Martin.

For about a year and a half, she was given all sorts of medication to try and stop the process, with little success.

In June of last year, Potvin was informed she had less than 10 per cent of her kidney function left and would have to commence dialysis.

She chose to go undergo peritoneal dialysis. An invasive, time consuming treatment, which cleanses her blood overnight.

Not the easiest living conditions, especially with a young toddler needing her to be at her best.

The process begins

Once Martin had offered her kidney, “just getting people in charge to take me seriously was a challenge,” she recalls. “They now call me, ‘The Determined One.’”

Martin has subjected herself to countless tests. “Blood tests, fasting blood tests, 24-hour urine collections and blood pressure readings. I’ve also had to do a chest x-ray, an electrocardiogram and a kidney ultrasound.”

The most stressful test, known as a “cross match,” determined compatibility.

The results proved everything had been worth it. News Martin was a very good match arrived in Nov. of 2006.

“We were especially ecstatic, especially Isabelle’s four-year-old daughter, Maya-Rose. I’ve never heard such happy giggling!”

But there was still a long road ahead.

Martin traversed a snow storm to spend three days in Vancouver this past Dec. for a CT scan and a renogram. There, she met with a psychologist, a social worker and a kidney specialist. Finally, this past Feb. a test was conducted to rule out the possibility of kidney stones.

At last, good news arrived April 5. The surgery was given the green light, scheduled for May 17 of this year in Quebec City.

Seeking assistance

Employment commitments restrict her husband from accompanying her to eastern Canada.

The challenge of return air fare now faces Martin and her three toddlers.

“Leaving them behind is not an option,” states Martin.

Potvin’s family has already started to fundraise money to help pay for childcare expenses during the hospital stay and the estimated eight week recovery time.

Martin has been warned any strenuous activity, like caring for three young children all under the age of five, is out of the question.

Arrangements are being made for help while the pair is recuperating.

Neither the Martin family in B.C., nor the Potvins in Quebec are wealthy. “We really need the kindness of others to make this work,” appeals Martin.

Any contribution would be very much appreciated.

Donations can be dropped off at Dee’s General Store in Birch Island, the Wells Gray Inn in Clearwater, or at the Royal Bank.

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