Organ Donors Needed

Organ Donors Needed

Last Update: 12/24 7:56 pm

As Robert Hirsh makes a path in the snow, he's aware of the more difficult path his twin sister Elizabeth faces. The 17-year-old needs a kidney transplant. Elizabeth was diagnosed with kidney disease when she was in sixth grade. A routine blood test for dehydration found the more serious problem, and a biopsy showed that Elizabeth's kidneys weren't working. "At first it wasn't bad because, at all, but I was on a lot of medications to slow down the deceleration of my kidneys."

Two years later, Elizabeth found she was constantly tired. She was put on dialysis, and gets treatment three times a week, for four debilitating hours at a time. "It's frustrating mostly because some nights, I'm just not able to do homework very well because I’m on the machine, or I'm just not able to sometimes go to school for school dances or something because it's Friday night and I have to go do dialysis."

And she has to keep going for dialysis until she gets a transplant.

"I remember the first thing I wanted to know was, after she got diagnosed with it, was I able to donate my kidney?" While Robert Hirsh is a match, he can't help his sister yet -you need to be 18 to be a donor, and that's six months away.

Elizabeth: "I don't know, I'd like it sooner than that. Right now, I just want it to be done with."

It would also mean Robert giving up his dream of joining the military - "Well, if I had to choose like in a matter of five minutes, I'd probably go with Elizabeth just because she's family." Perhaps the teenager won't have to make that choice, and his sister will be able to pursue her dream of synchronized skating - "But hopefully, after the transplant I'll be able to get back to that - hopefully next year," says Elizabeth.

To find out more about becoming a donor, or about a special camp for kids with serious illnesses (recommended by Elizabeth and the Hirsh family), click on:
http://www.upstate.edu/uh/surgery/transplant/qa_kidtransplant.php Transplant Services
http://www.campsunshine.org/ Welcome to Camp Sunshine!

http://www.9wsyr.com/content/family_healthcast/story.aspx?content_id=aef517c8-1b2e-4a5f-9141-d81ad7f43736