What did you do to find a live doner? Ideas Needed!

[hookmeup]

We have just been approved for a Kidney Transplant in Tennessee  We have a small family most of who are diabetic.  We need to find a live donor.  Suggestions have been made to put up flyers, make signs to put on our car, letters to local churches asking to put request on bulletin board and a few others.  Our question is what did you do that helped find a donor?  Could you share your experience with us?  PLEASE

[SooMK]

I am someone who wouldn't ask to borrow a cup of sugar. The recommendations for finding a living donor just seemed impossible to me. I was visiting my hometown and I usually would meet my college roommate for lunch since we had stayed in touch over the many years. When I updated her on my declining health she asked if there was anything she could do. I said the only thing anyone could do is give me a kidney. And that's what she did. I would be sure to answer any questions like that in a similar fashion, perhaps phrasing it more like, "you can help me to find a kidney." I found that many people continue to believe myths about donating kidneys. I was told "I hear the surgery is worse for the donor." It's not. I'd have a list of resources ready to give to anyone who shows any interest. Volunteering to have major surgery takes courage but there are wonderful people out there. Best of luck.

[kristina]

Hello,
My husband wanted to donate a kidney to me and during his medical work-up-process to donate, he was diagnosed with cancer, just in time to be successfully operated on and treated...
I must point out here, that I had never asked my husband or anyone else to donate and it was my husband who finally convinced me that it might not be such a bad idea after all and my husband thought a kidney-donation could enhance our quality of life together, especially since we were not sure at the time how my body would be capable to put up with dialysis-treatments three times every week. I also must say here that my husband is extremely fit and he has played golf all this life since he was a little boy.
... These days my husband's cancer "only" has to be regularly maintained and checked-up to make sure that it does not rear it's ugly head again and I am happy to say that - due to my strict vegetarian kidney-friendly diet and my discipline to keep as fit as possible for as long as possible, my dialysis-treatments are not that bad after all, because my dialysis-treatments keep me alive and the stricter I am with my vegetarian kidney-friendly-diet, plus my to-keep-as-fit-as-possible-discipline, the better my body is able and capable to put up with it all and even gives me a chance to carry on with my life and enjoy it as much as possible.
... Now you might wonder, why I would not ask anyone to donate? The answer is quite simple: I have been in kidney failure since 1971/72 and since then I have met many people/patients in ESRF, pre-dialysis, on dialysis and after their transplant etc.  and I have also met their families and added to this, I have also come across people who have donated and they told me how much they regret it, because it has left them in physical bother ever since. I also have met people who have donated and they did very well without any pain or any problems.
So, in my honest opinion, a kidney donation seems to be a real gamble and it could go extremely well, or it could go badly wrong for the person who wishes to donate and knowing all that now and being aware of it now, I would not have the heart or the nerve to ask anyone for a donation, if that makes sense...
... Last not least, my nephrologists have put me on the kidney-transplant-waiting-list and I am very glad about it, not only because it proves that my body is fit enough for a transplant ...
Best wishes from Kristina.