My mom is needing a kidney

[erica406]

My mother has been on dialysis for 4 years. I am needing help to get it out there that we are needing living donor. Can someone help me ?

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Erica,

This is probably not the place to ask for a donor, since the majority of users of this forum could benefit from a living donor themselves.

Contact your local hospital, kidney foundation, and your local social media sites. Do you other social networks you use? How about your own family? Has anyone been tested or offered?

Wish you the best for your Mom. I know it is hard.

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

Go to the official website of National Kidney Foundation. Then go to ORGAN DONATION & TRANSPLANTATION. Then click on the picture by LIVING DONATION. A bunch of pictures will pop up. Can click on any of them, has description underneath them. Some give you help in how to go about finding a living donor. THE BIG ASK

Have you talked with relatives, friends and your neighbors. That's where I would start.

Tell the story.

What about your church and your work.....

when I was looking for a living donor, I told everyone!

[Bunkin]

I have a friend who is about to start a campaign for me to find one.,I think she’s going the media route. Local newspapers, groups, etc. church is also a good place to put it out there. I’ve seen people put signs in their car windows, t shirts, etc. Prayers for y’all. It’s a long journey I know. Just have to focus on the end results

[hope1419]

I did a couple of things. First I asked family. Then I reached out to my church, but NOW I think the add was too short, and there were too many steps to reach my information. I know now that a lot of donnors prefer to be unknown until they are absolutely sure that they are a match. So, a friend suggested to be interviewed for an article with the local newspaper. I though of it for a while, I read some more at the UNOS page transplantliving.org/kidney... and I wrote my story. I found my kidney coach, and we contacted the news paper. One of the reported read my story, and we decided to put a family spin to the story since my daughter was my coach, and I want my transplant to see her grow. The article was longer than an add, and this time, I included my transplant center information along with my clinical record number. This way people who would be curious or interested would just be able to call without feeling preassure. After having been unsuccessful with the add, and having had a couple of people verbally offer to donate, but later not follow through, I was carefully hopeful, but already thinking of what to do next. The article was published in September, I heard immediately from a couple of people telling me someone was going to call, but I was not going to be excited until it happened. Then, a month later one of those people called me again, and told me she was a match, but there was another possible donnor who was a better match. At that point, I raised my hope. This weekend, I heard from that person who is a better match. It is someone I have met at work, but read the article. This person did not want to raise my hope until it was for sure we are a match. I have not had the transplant, yet, but now I am really hopeful. The power of social media is amazing. Friends and I shared, and re shared the article a lot of times. It also attracted people who wanted to take advantage of the situation, and you have to be careful with that. Also, my last word of advise, is taken from UNOS, move from just asking for a kidney to sharing your story, and letting people know what took you here and why you want to keep living... It makes a world of difference. It is hard, because you put yourself out there, but tell your story, believe in God, and provide the information possible donors need to know.

Check the thread called "posting in social media asking for donor" by staygood. You will find multiple suggestions on possible things to do there. Remember, you have to move from asking I need... to sharing your story with as many people you know as possible. and opening up... your mom's story will touch someone ot there. My news article was shared over 500 times, plus whatever hard copies that were sold.