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Waiting for a Kidney

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Michelle is a 29 year old mother of three who has been on the kidney transplant waitlist for four years. This pod by VC2 producer Kathleen Russell explores the reality of the organ transplant system through the eyes of someone “on-the-list.”
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11 responses // Waiting for a Kidney

  • Wow. She is amazingly positive and calm about all of this. That's exactly why I'm an organ donor. I hope they find a kidney for her!!
    Tori
    • Tori
    • 11 months ago
  • I am now an organ donor...
    Kinga_Philipps
  • How can one help to find a donor with right blood type?
    Praying for you.
    bevspups
  • Michelle, I watched your story. My prayers are with you. I am an organ donor. And just like you said people are dying in Phildelphia at a rate of 1 to 2 per per day. Also North of Los Angles, I cannot think of the town. However I agree with you, All of these people getting killed and it seems as though a family member would want to do something nice and donate. May this is an issue that need to be raised. I will keep you in my prayers, and know that God is able to give you that Kidney, just at the right time. Hold on to your faith, and it will come to pass.
    Peggy49
  • Hi Michelle,

    My name is Erick, and I live in Kansas City. Today I viewed the piece that Kathleen did on you and the circumstances you have been dealing with. I too have children, and for them not to have me in their lives because of something seemingly so simple to fix, is very sad, so I want to say I am sorry that you have had to go through this. You know world peace is really a pretty simple concept to understand and It will take all of our children on a global scale to achieve it, but they live what they learn and they need to learn this from all of us: We are all of the same race, the human race, and true happiness really only comes from helping to end suffering in the lives of one another. I sent Kathleen an email to see if she knows what is involved in finding you a match from a living donor. I understand that our bodies are only ours for a short while, but it doesn't change the fact that we all share the same responsibilities! I have two kidneys, and if I can live with just one, and if the other one is a match for you, you are welcome to it. I believe that between the email sent to her and this note to you, the two of you will be able to contact me. Hey Michelle, we are all in this thing called living, together...ok?
    Erickmac
  • After watching this I wanted to donate a kidney but i can't i am to young :( if i were someone who needed an organ u would not care what age i got it from.I think it's couse of
    medical ressions but im not completely sure.When i hit 18 i will donate.
    shaneblgg
  • From watching this video it really makes me want to help people even more than i do now. I never even once considered being and organ donor till this very moment. To help people like her. And she's right,I only need one working kidney and i'm in great health and shape so why not do humanity a favor...
    AwesomeAshley
  • http://www.organdonor.gov/
    I am too an organ donor. I really appreciate Current showing this as maybe more people will sign up to be organ donors.

    It is easy, it is free!! Do it today!!!
    BurghMan
  • (Posted by user: ROWEROWE25)

    I have been on dialysis since the year 2003. I also have Sickle Cell Disease which pretty much is the reason why I am on dialysis. In 03 I had multi organ failure from my hemoglobin getting to low and Could not support my body function. Consequently I almost died in the hospital. Having Sickle Cell is a challenge itself, to keep my blood and other levels in check. Which is why I accept being on dialysis and personally would not accept a kidney.

    I would not accept a kidney for many reasons. I think that there are many people out there that might need a kidney slightly more than myself. I just don't want to take away from someone that could possibly benefit from it better than myself.

    Another reason is because you are not that much better off than before with a kidney than without one on dialysis. You still must take like 10 medicines a day and in the long run many people end up losing the kidney anyhow. Just seems like going through a lot for something just to lose it. Granted people live longer with a good kidney, but not that significant.

    The other reason is that I can controll my illness Sickle Cell while on dialysis. Being that they check your blood and other levels to make sure you are doing well is great for me.

    I am sorry to see a mother with 3 kids to work so hard and have to go through dialysis all alone. So if someone ever wanted to give me a kidney, I think someone like her should get it instead. If not her then someone that might die from having so low kidney function that they must have a kidney to live.
    derk
  • powerful video. i know an eleven-year-old also waiting. keep pushing.
    lindsaytalbot
  • I have polypsystic kidneys, which means i have multiple cysts alont my kidneys, enlarging them, and eventually killing me if I can't get a transplant. It runs in my family, my aunt has recently had a kidney transplant after years of dialasis. It is very moving to see a film concernint this topic, this is the reason that I believe in stem cell research.
    aveo

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