Hello, my name is Greg Weisner. I was born and raised in a small, rural town in the Midwestern US. After graduating from high school, I enlisted in the United States Air Force and served for 4 years, including a year in Vietnam (Apr 1967 – Apr 1968). While in the Air Force, I started as an Airman Basic and was honorably discharged as an NCO. I was in Munitions for all 4 years, and during that time, I received 8 medals.
When I think back on that time, the one memory that stands out more than any other is the people I served with – my fellow veterans!! As with every aspect of life you go through, you encounter good people as well as some, well, less so. I have to say the caliber of individuals I met while in the Air Force was extremely high, and working with them left me with very positive impressions of our branch of the military.
Upon leaving the military, I attended college, then joined a large petroleum company and worked there for 30 years, primarily supervising a testing facility that worked closely with the company’s marketing division. Upon retiring, I was asked to return to that same company as a consultant and worked an additional 14 years at two different locations. Before retirement, I was asked to travel to Saudi Arabia to help bring a new refinery into operation, which we did ahead of schedule. I also traveled across the US to help conduct quality-control audits at various company locations. When I think back on my career, I think the most satisfying aspect was the people I worked with. I met and worked with many remarkable people and the interactions I had with them leave me with extremely pleasant memories.
I have been married to a wonderful woman for many years now. We never had children but are extremely close to our Grand Nieces and Grand Nephew as well as our siblings and nieces and nephew.
Kidneys!! A rather important organ in one’s body, but as long as that organ is functioning as it should, most people pay very little attention to them. I first became aware that my kidneys were not normal a number of years ago when my primary care physician (PCP) told me after a routine blood test that my creatinine level was getting higher. So, over the course of 5 years or so, my creatinine level kept increasing, and at that point, my PCP recommended I see a nephrologist, which I did, and he examined me and began my kidney care program. Thus began my journey of watching my creatinine levels increase year by year. During that time, different medications were prescribed as intervention programs attempting to retard the progression of my kidney disease. And they did slow it down, but they did not stop it. That brings me to 2026, and my creatinine level rose to the point where my nephrologist recommended that I start dialysis. I’ve now been on dialysis for 2 months. I feel blessed in that during the first part of 2026, I felt like I was getting more tired doing simple tasks; however, since starting dialysis, my energy levels have returned to ‘normal’ or as close to it as possible, and I feel fortunate that programs like dialysis are available to those with CKD. Prior to that, last year (2025), I interviewed at Hackensack Meridian Hospital in Hackensack, NJ, and was accepted into their kidney transplant program, and have been listed for almost 10 months now.
I soon became aware that signing up for a kidney transplant means you are willing to accept a kidney from a deceased donor. While that offers the kidney recipient an extension of their life, receiving a kidney from a living donor would offer more hope in that the transplant success rate for living donors vs. deceased donors is higher, as is the life expectancy. My wife and I are actively searching for a living donor and have various methods of doing so currently underway. To that end, we recently became aware of the DOVE program for Veterans and have signed up. Everything we have heard about the DOVE program offers another avenue for finding a living donor, and we are grateful to those at DOVE who devote their time and energy to helping Veterans.
So, I am writing this in an attempt to first reach as many people as possible and then to further let them know who I am and how eternally grateful if someone would step up and decide to be a living donor. Any organ transplant is a gift of life to the person receiving that organ, and all those many people who are somewhere in the process of that have high hope because our wonderful country is filled with so many caring people who are willing to offer an organ to help another human.
I have lived my life trying to help others anytime I could in any way I could. I pledge to all who read this that if I am fortunate enough to receive a kidney transplant, I will continue in my efforts to help others.
We need you to help us support Greg. Whether through spreading the word on social media or considering becoming a donor, you can make a profound impact!
Living kidney donation has been proven to be safe. There are no long term consequences to the donor. After recovery, donors can live a normal life with one kidney.
DOVE will assist all prospective donors throughout the process and make sure they do not incur any out-of-pocket expenses related to the evaluation or surgery.
Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call (551) 233-1611.