I'm looking for a living kidney donor 💚 Please help spread the word
2026 Kidney Walk
💚 I'm excited to share that on September 27 I'll be taking part in the Kidney Walk. 🚶♂️🚶♀️
I'll be walking to raise awareness about my search for a living kidney donor, the importance of living kidney donation, and kidney disease.
I'd love to have you join me at the Kidney Walk and also help spread the word about my story and living kidney donation.
📅 Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
🕘 Registration: 9:00 a.m.
📍 Location: William Connell Park, Hamilton
🥾 Routes: 2 km or 5 km
To join my team:
https://kidney.akaraisin.com/ui/ONWALKS26/t/d7bcb2fdaa584a1c85ee8cafcb482aba
If you'd like to join my team for the walk, just let me know. I'm planning to have matching team t-shirts made up :)
💚 Thank you for your support!
News Article
In case you missed it, here's the news article about my kidney journey & raising awareness about living kidney donation.
If you have a few minutes, I'd really appreciate you reading and sharing it 🫶🏼
💚 Thank you!
Link below ⬇️
July 22, 2026
Dialysis update 💚
I'm slowly getting into a routine with my nightly dialysis.
I'm able to sleep a bit better now as my body gets used to everything, but the fill and drain cycles still interrupt my sleep.
I also got a cart for my machine, which makes setting everything up much easier. Once it's ready, I can just wheel it into the closet at night.
I wanted to share a few photos of what home dialysis looks like. They show some of the supplies I keep in my bedroom, what I use for each treatment, and my machine getting ready for the night.
My search for a living kidney donor continues. Please continue to share my story. We need to keep spreading the word!
Thank you everyone for your support 💚
Webinar about Managing Kidney Health
If you've got an hour, check out this free webinar from the Kidney Foundation of Canada. It's a great opportunity to learn more about kidney disease and managing kidney health.
July 22nd @ 12pm noon EST
The webinar will include a kidney doctor & a registered dietitian.
Webinar registration link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kzmpVMHQRteibhP1LKcnbw#/registration
📚 Learn more about expense re-imbursement (PRELOD program):
https://www.giftoflife.on.ca/resources/pdf/transplant/PRELOD_Brochure_April_2023.pdf
What's The Questionnaire All About? 📝
The questionnaire is the first step in exploring whether you could become a living kidney donor.
It asks about your general information & medical history to help the transplant team determine if donation may be safe for you.
Your information is kept confidential, and completing the questionnaire does not commit you to donating. It simply helps you learn if you may be eligible to continue with the donor evaluation process.
The Living Donor Transplant Team @
St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON 🇨🇦
Phone #: 905-522-1155, ext. 32156
Email: livingdonors@stjoes.ca
📚 Understanding Canada's Kidney Paired Donation Program
Many people want to donate a kidney to a loved one or a specific person but find out they aren't a match. Fortunately, that doesn't mean they can't help. 🙏🏼
Canada's Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) Program matches donors and recipients with other compatible pairs across the country. A kidney match depends on factors such as blood type 🧬, tissue compatibility (HLA), and antibodies.
This means you may still be able to help your loved one by donating to someone else, while another donor gives a kidney to them.
By searching across Canada, the KPD program can find the best possible match. In some cases, one living donor can even start a chain of transplants that changes several lives. 🫶🏼
Video #1 explains 🍁 Canada's Kidney Paired Donation Program:
https://vimeo.com/933393963/54a44a0335?fl=pl&fe=sh
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Video #2 is a heart-warming ❤️success story of 🍁 Canada's Kidney Paired Donation Program:
💚 I am looking for a living kidney donor
My name is Mark Will, and I am searching for someone who may be willing to consider becoming my living kidney donor.
A kidney transplant could give me the opportunity to get back to a healthier, more normal life. I am sharing my story in hopes of reaching someone who may be willing to learn more.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning about becoming a donor, please contact:
Living Donor Transplant Team
St. Joseph’s Hospital
Hamilton, Ontario 🇨🇦
📞 905-522-1155 ext. 32156
📧 livingdonors@stjoes.ca
To learn more about my kidney journey, please visit:
🌐 www.akidneyformark.com
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your support :)
As someone waiting for a kidney transplant, I know just how life-changing a living kidney donor can be.
Thank you for your kindness, support, and for helping spread awareness. 💚🙏
July 6, 2026
My Kidney Journey 💚
I've officially completed my home dialysis training and have started peritoneal dialysis at home. While I'm still learning, I already feel confident setting up and operating the machine on my own.
I've now completed four nights of treatment, and it's been a big adjustment. The machine has disrupted my sleep. The overnight fill cycles leave me feeling bloated and sometimes make breathing feel more labourous, and the drain pain at the beginning and end of treatment can be quite uncomfortable. Some mornings, I also wake up feeling dehydrated.
Another challenge has been the machine's noise, but moving it into the closet has made a big difference.
Even with these adjustments, I'm grateful to have a treatment that allows me to do dialysis from home while I wait for a transplant.
However, going to bed doesn't feel the same anymore. Instead of simply turning out the lights and falling asleep, I'm preparing for an overnight medical treatment that lasts for hours.
After just a few nights on dialysis, I have an even greater appreciation for how life-changing a living kidney transplant can be. A living donor kidney can mean spending less time on dialysis and getting back to a regular life, with more energy for family, friends, hobbies, work, travel, and the everyday moments that many of us take for granted.
Thank you to everyone who continues to follow, support, and share my journey. Every conversation about living kidney donation helps raise awareness and brings hope to people waiting for a transplant.
If you've ever considered becoming a living kidney donor, I encourage you to learn more about the process. It has the power to change someone's life.
-Mark
💚 Learn more about becoming a living kidney donor:
https://www.blood.ca/en/organs-tissues/living-donation/what-is-living-kidney-donation
July 1, 2026
💚 My Kidney Journey
I wanted to share a quick update on where I am in my kidney journey.
My kidney function is now 8%, and living with kidney disease isn't easy. Like many Canadians facing kidney disease, each day brings challenges such as constant fatigue, poor sleep, lower oxygen levels, dietary restrictions, medications, itchy skin, and frequent medical appointments.
This week, I'm completing my home peritoneal dialysis training, and tomorrow night I'll begin my first official dialysis treatment at home. It's a lot to learn, and while the treatment can be uncomfortable at times, I'm grateful to have this option and an incredible medical team supporting me.
While many people live on dialysis for years, the average life expectancy on dialysis is about 5 years, making a kidney transplant the best long-term treatment for most people with kidney failure.
A kidney transplant would improve my quality of life in so many ways. It would give me more energy, help me feel healthier, and allow me to spend more time doing the things I love, like being active, playing sports, and enjoying time with family and friends. It would also give me the chance to live a more normal, full life and one day start my own family.
Once I start dialysis, I'll be added to the deceased donor kidney transplant wait list. Since my blood type is O+, I can only receive a kidney from an O donor, which typically means a longer wait than many other people on the transplant wait list.
A living kidney donor could provide a transplant much sooner than waiting for a deceased donor kidney and offers the best chance for long-term success and a longer life expectancy. It would also allow me the opportunity to regain much of my normal kidney function earlier, reducing the long-term strain on my body.
My immediate family already stepped forward to be tested, but unfortunately my mom and dad were not medically eligible to donate, and my sister has a kidney anatomy that would make donation much more complex and risky for both of us.
If you've ever considered living kidney donation, I hope you'll take a moment to learn more. Even if you're not a match for me, you could still help me—or someone else—through Canada's Paired Kidney Donation Program, which I'll explain in a future post.
Thank you for following my journey and helping spread awareness. ❤️🍁
-Mark
You can reach me directly at phone # 905-875-8870
July 1, 2026,
Today, on Canada Day 🇨🇦, I'm launching this blog because kidney disease affects thousands of Canadians, and I'm one of them.
I'm currently searching for a living kidney donor. I hope this blog will not only share my personal journey but also raise awareness about kidney disease and the life-changing impact of living kidney donation.
Whether you're here to learn, follow my journey, or share my story, thank you for being here. Together, we can spread awareness and inspire hope.
I hope you'll join the conversation. Please share your thoughts, ask questions, leave a comment, and pass along posts that resonate with you. Every conversation and every share helps raise awareness.
If my story speaks to you, I encourage you to learn more about living kidney donation and consider finding out if you're eligible to become a living donor.
Sincerely,
Mark
To view my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/share/14jUkMGsB3f/