Thursday, April 15, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
My family has opened a "Shannan Sweat Donation" account at Zion's bank. Their toll-free number is: 1-800- 789-BANK (2265). Those in Utah may call this number or stop by any Zion's Bank Branch.
This account will help pay for any transplant cost for myself, the donor's transplant costs that exceed our insurance limits, tests or any medications not covered by my insurance.
Any amount would be appreciated and all you have to do is call the toll-free number and say you want to donate to the "Shannan Sweat Donation" account. It is completely anonymous, we will never know names or amounts unless you tell us, we just get monthly updates on the donation amount. Be assured that your donation will be managed judiciously and is appreciated more than you will ever know!
Thank you to Lisa Meline for this most helpful suggestion, as we had not even thought of creating a Blog. Getting my information out to our family via the newsletter was the best suggestion ever!!
This account will help pay for any transplant cost for myself, the donor's transplant costs that exceed our insurance limits, tests or any medications not covered by my insurance.
Any amount would be appreciated and all you have to do is call the toll-free number and say you want to donate to the "Shannan Sweat Donation" account. It is completely anonymous, we will never know names or amounts unless you tell us, we just get monthly updates on the donation amount. Be assured that your donation will be managed judiciously and is appreciated more than you will ever know!
Thank you to Lisa Meline for this most helpful suggestion, as we had not even thought of creating a Blog. Getting my information out to our family via the newsletter was the best suggestion ever!!
Answering Your Questions About Living Donation
The following provides general information about living donation. For additional information about the evaluation process, the surgery, risks and making the decision, please visit www.livingdonors.org, NKF’s Living Donors Web site. The Web site also includes ways to connect with other living donors and potential donors (through the Message Board, E-mail Discussion Group, and Pen Pals), stories about living donation, tributes to donors, and information about news and events.
What is living donation?
Living donation takes place when a living person donates an organ (or part of an organ) for transplantation to another person. The living donor can be a family member, such as a parent, child, brother or sister (living related donation).
Living donation can also come from someone who is emotionally related to the recipient, such as a good friend, spouse or an in-law (living unrelated donation).
In some cases, living donation may even be from a stranger, which is called nondirected donation.
What organs can come from living donors?
The organ most commonly given by a living donor is the kidney. People usually have two kidneys, and one is all that is needed to live a normal life. Parts of other organs including the lung, liver and pancreas are now being transplanted from living donors.
What are the advantages of living donation over nonliving donation?
Transplants performed from living donors have several advantages compared to transplants performed from nonliving donors (individuals who have been declared brain dead and their families have made the decision to donate their organs):
Some living donor transplants are done between family members who are genetically similar. A better genetic match lessens the risk of rejection.
A kidney from a living donor usually functions immediately, making it easier to monitor. Some nonliving donor kidneys do not function immediately and as a result, the patient may require dialysis until the kidney starts to function.
Potential donors can be tested ahead of time to find the donor who is most compatible with the recipient. The transplant can take place at a time convenient for both donor and recipient.
Are transplants from living donors always successful?
Although transplantation is highly successful, and success rates continue to improve, problems may occur. Sometimes, the kidney is lost to rejection, surgical complications or the original disease that caused the recipient’s kidneys to fail. Talk to the transplant center staff about their success rates and the national success rates.
Where can I find statistics related to living donation?
You can find some statistics on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Web site. UNOS compiles statistics on every transplant center in the U.S. Go to http://www.unos.org/data/about/viewDataReports.asp to view all UNOS data. You can find statistics on the number of nonliving and living donor transplants performed at that particular center as well as the graft survival rates for the transplant recipient, the center and additional information about donation and transplantation.
The best source of information on expected donor outcomes is from your transplant team. See the list of “Elements of Disclosure” at http://www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors/pdf/jama_article.pdf (page 3) for a list of issues to discuss with our transplant team. You can also check http://www.transplantliving.org/livingdonation for additional information about donation and transplantation.
Click here to read the full Q & A on Living Donation
Please visit NKF’s website on living donation at www.livingdonors.org for detailed information.
If you would like to become a volunteer and find out more about what's happening where you live, contact your local NKF Affiliate.
If you would like more information, please contact us.
©2010 National Kidney Foundation. All rights reserved. This material does not constitute medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. No one associated with the National Kidney Foundation will answer medical questions via e-mail. Please consult a physician for specific treatment recommendations.
The following provides general information about living donation. For additional information about the evaluation process, the surgery, risks and making the decision, please visit www.livingdonors.org, NKF’s Living Donors Web site. The Web site also includes ways to connect with other living donors and potential donors (through the Message Board, E-mail Discussion Group, and Pen Pals), stories about living donation, tributes to donors, and information about news and events.
What is living donation?
Living donation takes place when a living person donates an organ (or part of an organ) for transplantation to another person. The living donor can be a family member, such as a parent, child, brother or sister (living related donation).
Living donation can also come from someone who is emotionally related to the recipient, such as a good friend, spouse or an in-law (living unrelated donation).
In some cases, living donation may even be from a stranger, which is called nondirected donation.
What organs can come from living donors?
The organ most commonly given by a living donor is the kidney. People usually have two kidneys, and one is all that is needed to live a normal life. Parts of other organs including the lung, liver and pancreas are now being transplanted from living donors.
What are the advantages of living donation over nonliving donation?
Transplants performed from living donors have several advantages compared to transplants performed from nonliving donors (individuals who have been declared brain dead and their families have made the decision to donate their organs):
Some living donor transplants are done between family members who are genetically similar. A better genetic match lessens the risk of rejection.
A kidney from a living donor usually functions immediately, making it easier to monitor. Some nonliving donor kidneys do not function immediately and as a result, the patient may require dialysis until the kidney starts to function.
Potential donors can be tested ahead of time to find the donor who is most compatible with the recipient. The transplant can take place at a time convenient for both donor and recipient.
Are transplants from living donors always successful?
Although transplantation is highly successful, and success rates continue to improve, problems may occur. Sometimes, the kidney is lost to rejection, surgical complications or the original disease that caused the recipient’s kidneys to fail. Talk to the transplant center staff about their success rates and the national success rates.
Where can I find statistics related to living donation?
You can find some statistics on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Web site. UNOS compiles statistics on every transplant center in the U.S. Go to http://www.unos.org/data/about/viewDataReports.asp to view all UNOS data. You can find statistics on the number of nonliving and living donor transplants performed at that particular center as well as the graft survival rates for the transplant recipient, the center and additional information about donation and transplantation.
The best source of information on expected donor outcomes is from your transplant team. See the list of “Elements of Disclosure” at http://www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors/pdf/jama_article.pdf (page 3) for a list of issues to discuss with our transplant team. You can also check http://www.transplantliving.org/livingdonation for additional information about donation and transplantation.
Click here to read the full Q & A on Living Donation
Please visit NKF’s website on living donation at www.livingdonors.org for detailed information.
If you would like to become a volunteer and find out more about what's happening where you live, contact your local NKF Affiliate.
If you would like more information, please contact us.
©2010 National Kidney Foundation. All rights reserved. This material does not constitute medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. No one associated with the National Kidney Foundation will answer medical questions via e-mail. Please consult a physician for specific treatment recommendations.
Transplant conference celebrates life — and miracles like a neighbor who stepped up when a woman down the street needed a kidney.
One of the people who spoke at an annual transplant patient conference held at Intermountain Medical Center last week was Julie Reeve, a transplant recipient who ended up with hardly any kidney function after years of diabetes, cancer, and chemotherapy.
When numerous friends and family members were disqualified from giving her a kidney, she thought about going door-to-door for help. ““I thought there was no way I would get a transplant,” she said at last week’s conference. Th e door-to-door idea wasn’t half bad. Julie ended up receiving a kidney donated by her neighbor, Shelly Rose. “I just knew I wanted to do it,” Shelly said. “I watched Julie and knew her family loved her and she needed it. I was healthy and could do it, so why not?”
The transplant surgery took place in January — but there were complications. Shelly found that one of her kidneys was twice the size of a normal kidney, which caused some concern — but not enough to stop the surgery. “As long as it was all right in the end, bring it on,” she said. Today, her large remaining kidney gives her better kidney function than average donors — and a couple of doors down the street, a friend who’s thriving. “I think we had a greater recovery because of our attitude,” she said. “Anything can be accomplished with a positive attitude.” Julie reflects that attitude: “Shelly is a personal miracle from God who came into my life and saved my life,” she says.
A number of the people who support miracles like that took part in Intermountain Medical Center’s second annual transplant conference last week, which was funded by the National Kidney Foundation and Astellas. Its purpose: Help transplant patients stay informed about the latest transplant trends, connect with members of the transplant community, celebrate National Donor Awareness Month, and encourage organ donation.
To sign up to be an organ donor — or get more information about organ donation
in Utah — click on www.yesutah.org or call Intermountain Donor Services at
1-866-YES-UTAH.
One of the people who spoke at an annual transplant patient conference held at Intermountain Medical Center last week was Julie Reeve, a transplant recipient who ended up with hardly any kidney function after years of diabetes, cancer, and chemotherapy.
When numerous friends and family members were disqualified from giving her a kidney, she thought about going door-to-door for help. ““I thought there was no way I would get a transplant,” she said at last week’s conference. Th e door-to-door idea wasn’t half bad. Julie ended up receiving a kidney donated by her neighbor, Shelly Rose. “I just knew I wanted to do it,” Shelly said. “I watched Julie and knew her family loved her and she needed it. I was healthy and could do it, so why not?”
The transplant surgery took place in January — but there were complications. Shelly found that one of her kidneys was twice the size of a normal kidney, which caused some concern — but not enough to stop the surgery. “As long as it was all right in the end, bring it on,” she said. Today, her large remaining kidney gives her better kidney function than average donors — and a couple of doors down the street, a friend who’s thriving. “I think we had a greater recovery because of our attitude,” she said. “Anything can be accomplished with a positive attitude.” Julie reflects that attitude: “Shelly is a personal miracle from God who came into my life and saved my life,” she says.
A number of the people who support miracles like that took part in Intermountain Medical Center’s second annual transplant conference last week, which was funded by the National Kidney Foundation and Astellas. Its purpose: Help transplant patients stay informed about the latest transplant trends, connect with members of the transplant community, celebrate National Donor Awareness Month, and encourage organ donation.
To sign up to be an organ donor — or get more information about organ donation
in Utah — click on www.yesutah.org or call Intermountain Donor Services at
1-866-YES-UTAH.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
