Our friend and teammate Mike “Skid” Aquino needs a kidney transplant. He is currently in the hospital due to kidney failure, likely a complication of his diabetes. If you have Type O blood, please consider being a live donor.
Currently, the wait time for a donor is 3-6 years, depending on blood type. Until a compatible donor is found, Skid will need to undergo dialysis three times a week.
This from the UCSF website: “Most kidneys for transplant are from people who have died and whose families give permission for organ donation. However, there are not enough of these organs for everyone who needs one. Nationally, more than 70,000 patients are on the kidney transplant waiting list, and more are added each year. Because of the organ shortage, living donor kidney transplants are an important option. They’re possible because we’re born with two kidneys. When surgeons remove one of the donor’s kidneys, the remaining kidney grows slightly to compensate for the loss of the other and the kidney can function normally.”
Who pays for expenses?
Expenses, including the required testing to see if you are a good match, will be paid by Skid’s insurance.
What is it like to donate a kidney?
Another member of our team donated a kidney to a friend. If you have questions about what the experience is like, we’ll put you in touch with Seth.
You can also help by putting the word out. We’ll post updates here. Contact us with questions at info@desertdingo.com