Dialysis patient urges everyone to have ‘The Talk’

Dialysis patient urges everyone to have ‘The Talk’

Sandra M. Stanway
Brooks Bulletin

Ken Martin urges everyone to have the talk about organ donation.
For five years - during which time his hopes were raised by the prospect of four live donors - Martin has been on kidney dialysis.
For over three years he travelled from Brooks to Medicine Hat three times a week and just over two years ago he started home dialysis, three days a week, which is more convenient.
The master bedroom is neatly organized.
The machine stands ready for the night’s dialysis along with all the extras that are needed.
Spare medical material is stored in the closet in the master bedroom along with huge canisters to purify water.
Martin, 66, would love to remove the huge machine from his bedroom and give his wife back her closet.
That’s why he’s urging Albertans to have the talk about organ donation.
At the end of November the province announced that it will establish a donor registry.
A provincial agency in charge of human tissue and organ donations will be established by the summer. An online registry will follow in 2015.
“This online registry makes (sure) that you are a donor,” said Martin’s wife Georgina.
While the province gets organized Martin said now is the time to sit down with your family and let them know your wishes if you want to give life to someone who is waiting for an organ.
“People do not realize the situation that kidney patients are in,” Martin said.
He said many people sign the back of their driver’s licence agreeing to be a donor. However, if they haven’t told their family, the decision can be vetoed.
“Same thing goes with someone who dies – they got a body full of good organs and they throw it into the ground. That’s not right,” he said.
Martin understands people are afraid to donate and he finds some people even shy away from him.
“I think they’re afraid I might ask them for a kidney but I would never ask anyone for a kidney,” he said.
On the other hand, if someone offered a live kidney he would be thrilled to accept it.
“I don’t think enough people realize the life that they can give back to a person. It’s a big decision to make, I know.”
To help him cope with dialysis and to get support from those who understand his predicament, for the past three years Martin has been a member of Medicine Hat College’s nursing program, Keepin’ It Renal, a support group for those who are waiting for a transplant.
“It’s a focus group that brings people together in the community who home dialysis,” said Lydia Soltesz, a third year nursing student and former Brooks resident.
Last year the focus group members were asked what their goals were and it was the same message heard from others: they want an organ.
“The last two focus groups lobbied the legislature for Bill 207,” Soltesz said.
The bill is the Human Tissue and Organ Donation Bill which will allow people to register online for organ donation.
Shortly after the bill was passed, the focus group and the nursing students who led the group, released their video project: The Talk.
“The main things we’ve identified with our group is the awareness, having the ‘talk’ about organ donations and letting your loved ones know what your wishes are,” said Soltesz.
The Talk was produced to encourage everyone to talk to their families about organ and tissue donation, to let their wishes be known and to raise awareness of organ donation.
Just over a minute in length, it stars the nursing students and program members from Keepin’ It Renal and its sister program, Language of Hope, a support group for transplant recipients.
Check it out on YouTube. Search Medicine Hat College The Talk.
Georgina said it’s important to have the talk.
“If the situation ever arises that decision is just a little bit easier for them to make,” she said.
Martin enjoys the support group that is offered through the third year nursing program.
“It’s a big plus for all of us because not only does it give us a chance to get out and meet other people in our predicament, it also allows you to get out and meet other people and get to know them,” said Martin.
“It’s a morale booster too I guess. This is one way of helping depression, to lighten your day.”
The group meets once a week at Medicine Hat College Brooks Campus to videoconference with other patients in southern Alberta.
Until last year committee members connected from home through Skype which didn’t have a personal feeling.
Georgina is sure that if enough people understand Ken will one day get the call that there is a donor.
“When the phone rings at night, which doesn’t happen too often, the first thing that comes to my mind: ‘Is this the call we’ve been waiting for?”
“One day we’re going to get that call. I believe it,” she said.
Martin said getting a new kidney would be like winning the lottery.
“The lottery tomorrow night is $50 million. If somebody called me and said you got a choice of $50 million or a new kidney that will work, I would certainly take the kidney,” he said.

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