NO, I'm not talking about myself! (I've already had a couple of requests for my remaining kidney, should it ever become available...LOL)
I found out that my good friend Phil Kaisharis (friend from college days almost 30 years ago) is in desperate need of a kidney transplant. He is experiencing complete kidney failure, and will begin dialysis almost immediately. Hemodialysis is NO WAY TO LIVE...regardless of one's age.
Some ten months (give or take a few days) ago, the LORD clearly spoke to me about being a "kidney donor" for a dear, dear friend of mine. I saw the "need" on FACEBOOK (my second day on the 'social networking site' I SWORE to my friend Joe Misek (www.joemisek.blogspot.com) that I would never use...and now HE'S on it too), and just simply prayed for "God to find a kidney out there somewhere." The LORD simply answered, "You are a match."
SEVENTEEN weeks ago today...this very hour, I was coming out of the Recovery Room of the University of Alabama-Birmingham Renal Transplant Center, having just donated my left kidney to my great friend, Dr Bill George.
NOW, my friend Phil Kaisharis needs a kidney. Let's see what GOD has in mind for this brother in the LORD. Please pray for Phil. Please pray for God's provision in his life.
I am a living, breathing testimony that GOD can and will provide.
2 comments:
Your Post about Phil, has prompted me to let you know about the Living Kidney Donation Foundation.
After a successful kidney transplant in 2007, my donor wife, Amy, and I started the Living Kidney Donors Network (LKDN) to assist others in being so fortunate. The LKDN purpose is to inform individuals about living kidney donation and prepare them to effectively communicate their need to family members and friends. We conduct workshops at transplant hospitals and other organizations that support individuals with kidney disease. I am also offering free webinars, titled “Having Your Donor Find YOU.” We have over 500 people registered for this series and will continue to build supporting topics to enable people to pursue a successful living kidney transplant.
As you know, the need for kidney transplants has reached critical proportions…with more than 83,000 people on the transplant waiting list. Experts project this number to grow to over 100,000 in the next few years. In 2008, (the last full year statistics are available,) 4,500 people died waiting for a kidney transplant. This is a tragedy that can so easily be avoided.
Doctors, nurses and social workers simply tell their patients to go find a living donor. This is much easier said than done. Patients consistently report that the fear of “asking a family member or friend if they would donate a kidney” is their biggest hurdle. In actuality, donors indicate that no one really “asked them to donate their kidney”, but they heard about the need and were compelled to come forward
The work that I’m doing now has developed into my life’s purpose and the Mission of my Foundation to help the thousands of people who are not pursuing living donation. I welcome any ideas or assistance in expanding awareness of our services and broaden the lives saved.
Below is a link to my article that is appearing in the AAKP, (American Association of Kidney Patients,) magazine Renalife.
http://aakp.org/aakp-library/Living-Donor/
Harvey Mysel
To sign up for the "Having Your Donor Find You" webinar go to:
www.lkdn.org/webinars.html
Living Kidney Donors Network
a Not-for-Profit 501(c)3 Organization
Office 312-473-3772
Mobile 847-912-7059
Fax 312-238-8621
www.lkdn.org
http://lkdnblog.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/harveymysel
harvey@lkdn.org
People who need a heart transplant touched me because my cousin died for lack of a donor kidney in the hospital and Phill severe hypertension ... hopefully will recover soon
Post a Comment