My name is Mark Bourgoin, and I am a U.S. Air Force veteran. I worked as a 571X0, known as the Fire Fighter Service, and served during Desert Shield and Desert Storm while stationed in Germany and saw the Berlin Wall come down. I had many different assignments, with one of my favorite jobs being at Edwards AFB, where I worked in Off-Base crash recovery for the Space Shuttle, and it is also where I met my wife. Another favorite job was while I was at Ramstein AB, Germany, where I had the role of Fire Inspector. Unfortunately, I was medically retired after 14 years of service due to my kidney diagnosis of FSGS, with the rank of Staff Sergeant.
After leaving the military, I helped close Loring AFB as an Environmental Specialist with Civil Engineering’s Hazardous Waste Program. I then went to work at what is now called AR Gould Hospital as the Manager for Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness. In 2018, I was diagnosed with stress fractures in my feet and had to leave there. I then went to work for Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, and I am still there today, continuing to work from home.
My wife and I have been married for 42 years, and our only son, Ian Michael, passed away 31 years ago, and we miss him. We have an “adopted family,” a woman and her three children who are like family to us. My FSGS has slowly progressed, but thankfully I am not on dialysis currently and hope I will never need to be. I have a Catholic priest who is my spiritual advisor, helping with this journey that God has me on, and praying my faith gets me through.
I love to do “honey-do” work both inside and outside the house, my volunteer work at the Knights of Columbus, and the work my wife and I do managing the Food Pantry in town. I also enjoy writing newsletters for both organizations. Serving those who are unable to help themselves blesses my heart.
For medically cleared donors, giving the gift of life through living kidney donation has been proven to be very safe. 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. A healthy person can live a normal life with one kidney and save Mark’s life with the other!
Your support, whether through spreading the word on social media or considering becoming a donor, can make a profound impact on his life and the life of his family!
Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call (551) 233-1611