Mark needs your help. Please spread the word.
My Story
Dear Family, Friends, and New Acquaintances,
I hope all is well. I'm writing to share a personal health update and ask for your support.
Over the past few years, I have been experiencing chronic fatigue, headaches, nausea, and extremely high blood pressure. After extensive testing, I have been diagnosed with end-stage chronic kidney disease. I'm now 37 years old and living with very low kidney function.
I'm sharing this in case someone reading this might consider getting tested and donating a kidney.
My medical team has advised that my best option for a long-term, healthy life is to find a living kidney donor.
While medications have helped deal with some symptoms, I'm still dealing with chronic fatigue as a result of lower hemoglobin caused by kidney disease.
My immediate family already came forward to get tested.
However, none are able to donate a kidney. My Mom's screening showed kidney cancer and she has successfully undergone surgery to have one of her kidneys partially removed. My Dad and Sister also underwent testing but were medically ineligible to donate and the doctors deemed it unsafe for them to donate.
Next steps
My options now are to begin dialysis and look for other suitable kidney donors. I've learned that once I start dialysis, I'll be put on a deceased donor waitlist, with an expected wait time of about 5 years. Receiving a kidney from a living donor, and much sooner, is a much better option as it offers me better long-term success outcomes, and longer life expectancy.
I'm getting the word out in case someone may consider coming forward as a potential living donor. I know this is a big request, and it is not easy for me to ask. I would want anyone who considers donation to do so out of the goodness of their heart and that there is zero pressure. I understand it's a very personal decision.
Kidney Donors Can Live An Equally Long Life With One Kidney
- ✅ Donors don’t have to be related or be the same blood type to donate.
- ✅ Kidney paired donation program: through a kidney paired exchange, if you are willing to donate but are not a match for me, your kidney could go to another person in need, and I would receive a kidney from their donor
- ✅ A kidney donor can be male or female, and there's no age limit
Donor Safety & Donation Process:
- Donors undergo a detailed screening process to ensure it is safe for you to donate, and it is all done privately, by a hospital donor team. It will all be confidential, and I won't know anything about your process, unless you choose to tell me.
- Anyone who goes through the donor screening process will receive full body diagnostic scans, including heart & kidney testing, full blood & urine testing, with a doctor review of the results - all useful info for your own health too. 📝🔎
- Full recovery after a living kidney donor surgery typically takes four to six weeks, with the average hospital stay being 1 - 3 days.
Reimbursement of Expenses:
- Donor evaluation & surgery are fully covered by the government (OHIP) and the donor can be from anywhere around the world. 🌎
- Reimbursement is available through the Government and kidney non-profits for lost income, travel, and other expenses.
A Kidney for Mark - What it Means
I'm a son, brother, and uncle and enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends. I'm still looking forward to meeting someone and eventually starting a family - this is something high on my 'bucket list' of things I'd still like to accomplish in my lifetime.
I also enjoy living an active lifestyle playing sports, and travelling. Having a living kidney donor would allow me to live a truly healthy and active life, and enjoy it to its fullest.
Being a living kidney donor could provide a miraculous gift and provide me with a second chance at life. 🫶🏼
Kidney Information Resources
Kidney Foundation of Canada:
https://kidney.ca/en/get-involved/be-an-organ-donor/consider-being-a-living-kidney-donor
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton: