It’s been an amazing week. I may have helped to find a kidney donor for my husband’s Uncle by posting this on my Facebook page:
See that? Eight minutes short minutes after I posted the link to David Goldman’s Facebook Page dedicated to helping him find a living kidney donor, my friend Michelle popped up and offered to get tested. Just like that.
The next morning, Michelle called the University of Minnesota and offered to get tested on behalf of David. Since then, Michelle has done a lot of research. She knows what she’s in for as a donor. More important, she truly believes that this was “meant to be.” She’s still waiting for her test to arrive, so we have no news to share other than the fact that we are are still waiting. We’re new to the waiting game for this process, but David isn’t.
David is a writer, and he’s blogged about what it’s like to wait, and wait, on a transplant. As David says, the waiting harder for his family – his wife, Deb, and his son, Lenny.
In the meantime, if you’d like to get tested (it’s a very simple initial first test) you can do so by calling University of Minnesota Transplant Center at 1-800-328-5465 and select option 1. Tell them you want to donate to David Goldman. They’ll just ask you a few simple questions and send you a kit to bring to your doc. All costs are covered by David’s insurance company. Who knows? Perhaps you’ll be a match. Maybe you won’t. Karma will be on your side on this one. I know that.
I’m excited about this process. I pray that Michelle will be able to be a donor for Uncle David. And if it’s not Michelle, maybe it will be you. I hope this is the beginning of the end of a very beautiful story. I hope.
It’s Michelle, and I just got confirmation this morning that the hospital has received all of my consent paperwork and blood type info. We are officially done with Step One and on to Step Two!!
Fingers crossed!!
So nice to see social media actually being used for good : )
Perhaps you don't know it, but David has another very important part of his family. They, too, are waiting to hear. It's his sister, Judy, who saved his life 25 years ago by donating her kidney and has been there for him ever since along with her husband Fred.
Hi Judy – Yes, we are a grateful to you for saving David’s life 25 years ago. Hopefully, you can now help us spread the word to find him a new donor.
Best to you and happy New Year!
Debbie
awesome!
Here's an article from the Impact section of the Huffington Post about a nurse who donates a kidney to a patient. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/13/allison-batson-nurse-donates-kidney-clay-taber_n_1205554.html?ref=impact&ir=Impact
That is so amazing!
Deb your amazing.
My husband once got a job directly from Facebook. (He works freelance.) I thought that was pretty cool. But a kidney! That would be completely awesome. Fingers crossed for your uncle.
Thanks Deb! I would like to add, that another complete and total stranger offered to donate. She is Angie Deters who also saw the same post at almost the same time. Hopefully, one of them will be "the match" for me. There are also quite a few who have already tried to donate — Tuna, Pi, Diane, Scott, Pennie, and others. Plus, my sister Judy who gave me a kidney more than 25 years ago. ALL of these people have done an amazing thing! Unfortunately, so many of us now know someone who is suffering from kidney failure and the waiting list for a deceased organ donor is quite long and time runs out on most of us. So please, not just for me, but for all those others on the national waiting list, consider being a living organ donor!
So cool! As much as people complain about social media being a time-waster, it can help achieve miraculous things too!
Wow! The power of social media AND amazing people like Michelle.
Truly amazing!
What an amazing woman Michelle must be! To help a stranger like that. I’m blown away.
This is so great you posted this! Thank you so much, Debbie!