The waitlist for a kidney transplant can be over five years long, and for me, it’s a constant source of fear and uncertainty. It’s hard knowing that my health will keep declining while I wait for a donor that I have no control over. Each day, I feel the toll it takes on my body, mind, and spirit.
But there is hope. The possibility of finding a living kidney donor is what keeps me going. Unlike the long wait for a deceased donor, a living donor offers the promise of better outcomes, faster recovery, and renewed hope for the future. For me, a living donor means the chance to live without the constant fear of my health deteriorating. It means fewer restrictions, less anxiety, and more time with my loved ones.
It’s hard for most people to truly understand what it’s like to have so little control over your health, to live with the weight of a life-or-death waiting game. But the hope of living donation—the thought of feeling normal again—is what keeps me strong. I just want to live. I want to enjoy those precious moments, laugh with my family, and feel like myself again. The wait is long, but it’s not without hope. I just need someone to step forward and help change my life. https://giftworksuuh.com/steveb/