45-year-old Speedway veteran receives kidney transplant

Sat May 24, 2008
45-year-old Speedway veteran receives kidney transplant
By Ray Martin Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Marcus Jackson received perhaps the most important phone call of his life Sunday morning.

The 45-year-old State Fair Speedway veteran had been waiting for more than a year for a kidney transplant and expected to wait much longer.

"The average time a person has to wait is about three years,” said Jackson, who drives the No. 00 super sprint car and won a points championship in 1998. "I had only waited for a year and three months.”

Jackson had a hereditary disease known as Polycystic Kidney Disease, or PKD. The same disease took his father's life at age 56. "There are so many in my family who have the disease,” said Jackson. "My brother has it, and I have a lot of aunts and uncles and cousins with it.”

The person on the other end of the phone was Jackson's doctor, who informed him there was a good chance they found a compatible kidney. He told Jackson to stand by, and at noon, less than three hours later, the good news was confirmed. Jackson went immediately to the hospital, and at 7:30 that night, underwent a three-hour transplant.

"I was shocked,” said Jackson's wife, Bobbi. "It's the call you want, but when you get it, then it's kind of scary.”

Jackson said doctors assured him the surgery was a success.

"Everything went great, and I came home on Thursday,” he said. "I even ate pizza tonight.”

Jackson said he is especially relieved because he no longer has to take dialysis treatments, which he was forced to take twice each week.

"I would only work half a day on Monday and Thursday's, and after the dialysis I was really tired and would have to go to sleep,” Jackson said. "But I'm planning on working 40 hours per week again really soon.”

The dialysis treatments kept Jackson from gaining sponsorships, because many times he felt too sick to drive. He said there is an outside chance he will race again this season.

"I would like to race, but if I have to wait for next year, that's fine with me,” he said. "This is a lot more important than racing.”

Bobbi Jackson was less enthusiastic about her husband returning anytime soon.

"If I have it my way, he won't be back for a while,” she said. "Next year at best.”

David Lambert, a super sprint driver, and his family, are long time friends of the Jackson's. Lambert said his family was thrilled to hear about the transplant.

"We have tried to support them as much as we can,” Lambert said. "We went to the hospital Sunday, and there were so many people in the waiting room hoping he did all right.”

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