Welcome
A Match for Mike - The Bean Project
Thanks for stopping by! I suppose you are here because you've spoken to me, someone close to me, or through social media.
Keep Watching!!
My donor and I at Emory Donor Day
We had the honor of returning to Emory Hospital and sharing a bit of our journey to donating and transplant.
My Life Saver, Tim
I have the unique and truly amazing honor of calling my donor, friend. This is a shout out to the person that answered the call and took action. Click the picture to watch his story on LinkedIn.
A Letter from Mike
Dear Friends…
Finding a kidney for a transplant is not easy. Just ask the 100,000+ people on the waiting list for a deceased donor kidney like I was. Time is not on our side. Some wait for years... 5+ years. But there is another and frankly the best possible chance at transplant; a live donor.
Asking a family member or a friend to consider donating a kidney is difficult, but it greatly improved my chances of getting a transplant. A living kidney donation is known to have better function and can last a lifetime!
You might not know a lot about living donation - I know I didn’t before kidney disease affected my life. Understandably, some people are afraid about the surgery and what living with one kidney will mean for them. But surprisingly, it has amazing statistics and research on life longevity and ease of process. Here’s some basic information about kidney donation:
- You only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
- Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions.
- The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.
- The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by the receiver's insurance.
- You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to evaluate you as a living donor. Their job is to help you understand the risks and benefits and look out for YOUR best interests. All will be provided to you in the donor information and testing process.
You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NKF.CARES (855.653.2273) or nkfcares@kidney.org. If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NKF can also help. I also added more information below, so keep scrolling!
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If donating a kidney is something you would like to consider, I would be happy to tell you more about my story and explore the process of determining if you are a match.
I know living donation may not be right for everyone — but you can still help! Consider being an organ donor after death and also, help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. At the very least I want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. I am hopeful my efforts will help others receive a kidney sooner and encourage potential donors to consider helping the many people on the wait list.
Thank you.
