Eric Needs a
Living Kidney Donor

“What I would want a potential living donor to know is that by donating you are saving my life in a way that is more than just my health. The act of donating would help me pick up my life where it was in all aspects—social life, finances, and relationships with loved ones.”

Eric’s Story

Hi, I’m Eric, and I’m on a journey to find a living kidney donor. I’ve been living with kidney disease since I was 11 years old when I was diagnosed with FSGS, a condition that has shaped much of my life. Over the years, I’ve faced many challenges, including multiple failed transplants and countless hours of dialysis. Right now, I’m on home hemodialysis five days a week, which takes a big toll on my time and energy. It’s exhausting, but I’m determined to keep going.

Living donation offers the best chance for me to get my life back. It’s the fastest way to a transplant and gives better outcomes than waiting for a deceased donor. I know donating a kidney is a big ask, but it truly changes lives. A transplant would mean more than better health—it would give me the freedom to work, travel, and reconnect with the people and things I love.

If you feel inspired to help, you can do so by becoming a donor or simply sharing my story. Thank you for considering being part of this journey with me!

Donor Eligibility Requirements

Eric is extremely lucky to have secured highly qualified medical help and support from the team at the University of Utah Health (UUH). He wants any interested persons to know that they will be in exceptional hands should they decide to step forward. UUH has shared the following as a pre-qualification list for donation:

Must be between the age of 18-69 years old.

Must be healthy and free of major health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, obesity (BMI of 37 or less).

Must be mentally and emotionally healthy.

You Can Help Save Eric's Life!

Interested In Donating?

Complete the short contact form and a GiftWorks' Living Donor Navigator will respond within 1 day to guide you through the next steps in the process.

Have Questions About Donating?

Having questions is normal! Complete the short contact form to set up a time to speak with a GiftWorks' Living Donor Navigator; a guide who knows what it's like to donate a kidney because they've donated in the past.

Want To Help In Other Ways?

You can help by sharing Eric's page today! Also, be sure to share Eric's posts on social media each week to spread awareness of his story. Sharing posts is one of the best ways to help Eric to find his lifesaving donor.

SHARE NOW!

Process for Stepping Forward for Eric

COMPLETE FOrm
1

Fill out the short contact form and a GiftWorks’ Living Donor Navigator will reach out to you within 1 business day to set up a time to connect.

Discussion
2

During your time with a GiftWorks’ Living Donor Navigator, you will get to ask questions and receive answers from a living kidney donor. They will tell you more about the process, address non-medical concerns, and connect you to valuable resources.

Complete Breeze
3

Breeze is a health questionnaire that will be reviewed by the hospital’s medical team to determine your eligibility for living donation as well as the next steps.

Questions & Answers

Although the family is deeply committed to supporting their loved one, they are unable to donate at this time due to various eligibility factors. Many people are surprised to learn that a family member isn’t always the best match. In fact, some of the most successful transplants come from living donors who aren’t related to the recipient. This means anyone with the willingness and ability to donate could be the lifesaving match they’ve been waiting for.

While the recipient's insurance will provide coverage for the donor's testing and surgery, the donor needs to have their own health insurance in the rare event any unknown health issues come up for the donor.

Living kidney donors are often able to return to work within 2 weeks, and fully heal within 6-8 weeks. After surgery, the donor’s remaining kidney will also grow in size and function, allowing them to live normal life with just one kidney.

While the recipient's insurance covers all costs related to the donation (for recipient and the donor), there are expenses that are related to the actual surgery for the transplant, like travel, meals, and lost wages that you may be reimbursed for.  There are financial resources available to ensure you are not paying for anything out of pocket.  GiftWorks can provide more information on those resources, if interested.

The following are pre-qualification requirements for living donation: must be between the age of 18-69 years old, must be healthy and free of major health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity (BMI of 37 or less), and must be mentally and emotionally healthy.

The ideal outcome for kidney patients is to find a living donor.  Patients have already battled so much with their kidney disease that being on the kidney transplant waiting list for 3-5 years is simply not ideal.  Long-term dialysis is not ideal as it can lead to a variety of complications such as low blood pressure (which causes dizziness), blood clots, cardiovascular disease, and serious infection.

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