Hello, and thank you for taking a moment to read my message. My name is John O’Brien. I’m a proud father of two wonderful kids and a grandfather to three amazing grandkids. I’ve lived in New York my whole life, served in the U.S. Army, and spent 40 years working in telecommunications with NYNEX and Verizon. My journey with kidney disease began on September 11th, 2001. I was working in lower Manhattan that day and immediately joined the efforts to restore critical telecom infrastructure. In the years that followed, I continued working in that area, which ultimately led to my diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a result of long-term exposure, and it also caused serious damage to my kidneys. Today, I’m in urgent need of a kidney transplant.
There are over 100,000 people currently on the national waitlist for a kidney, and the average wait time for a deceased donor is five years or more. Many people don’t survive that wait. That’s why I’m reaching out to you to ask for your help in considering living kidney donation. My son was tested to be my donor, but he was also diagnosed with CLL and was ruled out. My daughter was also tested and ruled out due to other conditions. Another close family member went through the process as well, only to discover a tumor on his kidney, which disqualified him, too. Another close family member was also disqualified due to other comorbidities. We’ve faced a lot of setbacks, but I remain hopeful that someone out there might be a match and willing to help.
I understand that most people don’t know much about living donation. Honestly, I didn’t either before this became part of my life. Here are some important things to know:
– You only need one kidney to live a healthy, full life.
– Most donation surgeries are done laparoscopically (minimally invasive).
– Recovery time is usually about two weeks.
– All medical costs related to the donation are covered by my insurance.
– You’ll have your own medical team, focused only on your health and well-being.
If you’re even a little curious or considering learning more, I encourage you to reach out. Please feel free to share this message with others. You never know who might be willing and able to help. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
We need you to help us support John. 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