Kidney donors save lives

2009-11-17

By Randy Evans

There are many different kinds of heroes in the world today. There are the expected (if not taken for granted), like the women and men serving in our Armed Forces. There are the unexpected, often a stranger, who steps in to fend off a criminal or intervene to protect a child. There are the public heroes, who bask in the limelight of stardom, for the sake of celebrity but not a cause. There are the faux heroes - people who have done little to merit the admiration of others, but nonetheless profit from it. And then, there are the private heroes.

There are many different kinds of private heroes, most of whom the media never knows (or wants to know). Yet, within every family and community, they are often well known. These are folks who did not act for recognition or reward. Instead, they acted out of a deep and abiding commitment to help someone other than themselves with a sacrifice that is very personal, and very profound.
Here are some private heroes. Almost 20,000 Americans donated a kidney last year so that someone else could live a longer and better life. Over five thousand 5,000 loved ones donated a kidney to a relative - mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, husbands and wives - donating life to someone they love. These folks are true American heroes, acting courageously by privately donating life to someone else.

Indeed, in a world that so often trivializes courage, donating a kidney is a biggie. Living donors undergo tests to see if they match; have a kidney removed in surgery; and then, live the rest of their lives with just one kidney. Yet, thousands do it every year, without fanfare. There are no parades or press conferences. Instead, their reward is simple and private - they have helped someone live on with a single kidney as well - a life saving kidney.

Kidney disease is no small thing in America. One in nine adults (over 26 million) in America have symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Almost 400,000 Americans are in End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), receiving dialysis. Their lives have been forever changed as they undergo dialysis treatment multiple times every week, or everyday.
The challenges for children are indeed overwhelming, with increased complications from dialysis and stunted growth from ESRD. For them, a suitable kidney donor cannot come soon enough.
Of course, dialysis and kidney transplants should never be the only solutions for treating kidney disease. In fact, the best solutions are prevention and early detection. For Americans with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney disease, vigilance is the watchword. In addition, African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders and senior citizens are at an increased risk.

There are no good excuses for ignoring the risks. There are three simple tests that can be easily performed to detect the early signs of Chronic Kidney Disease. Early detection can be the difference between kidney disease and kidney failure.

But not all cases can be or are detected early. Unfortunately, many people do not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced.
Unfortunately, when the kidneys fail, the options are limited: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and a kidney transplant. Fortunately, in Georgia, there are some of the best hospitals in the world for treating folks with CKD and ESRD. Indeed, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is among the very best in treating children with kidney disease and in performing - successfully - kidney transplants. Just this week, a group of researchers from Emory, Georgia Tech, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta announced that they are developing a "kidney replacement device" as an alternative to standard dialysis for children. But, it is not here yet.

The harsh reality is that for those who must get a kidney transplant, there has to be a kidney donor. And that is where real American heroes (of the "private" variety) come into play. Many kidneys (approximately 20 percent) come from living donors. But, there is another group.
These are also American heroes whose names are never reported. They consist of the over 12,000 donors who were deceased. These heroes recognized that in their death, they could give life. And, they did.

Hundreds of thousands of children, men and women are waiting for an American hero. Today, everyone can join the ranks of these great American heroes through one easy act of courage - be an organ donor. When renewing a Georgia Drivers' License, just check the box to be an organ donor. Or, create a living will. Or, go to Donate Life's website - www.donatelifegeorgia.org. It is not hard, but it could save a life. Go on and do it - be an American hero!

Evans is a regular columnist for this paper, and is the former counsel for the Georgian Republican Party.

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