DONOR | John's Story

John Holden

LIVING Kidney DONOR NEEDED

Did you know over 3,000 people in Alabama are waiting for a kidney transplant? I have been diagnosed with end stage renal failure. I miss out on lots of activities with family and friends. The wait time for me to receive a kidney could be over 5 years. I am reaching out to friends, family and the community at large to explore opportunities for living kidney donors. Living kidney donors are healthy people between 18 and 60 years old. Please consider donating. If you want more information about how you can see if you qualify, please contact me at 256-694-5470 or UAB at 205-975-9200 on my behalf.

I receive dialysis 3 days every week for 5 and 1/2 hours . After my dialysis treatments, I'm sometimes weak and light- headed. Sometimes I experience cramping. Dialysis treatments are draining and I just want to get in bed and sleep. I enjoy traveling but it is difficult when you plan a vacation, you have to set up treatments at the nearest dialysis center. I am ready to receive a kidney so I'm able to get back to work and other fun things with my family.

I am asking for everyone to consider donating a kidney. You are able to live with one kidney while providing someone like me with a better quality life. I can wait around and hope to get a kidney from a deceased donor, however, a living donor is a better option to help me get off of the waiting list and get on with a healthier life. Please consider seeing if you qualify and help me spread the word about living donors. It would me so much to me and my family. Thanks in advance for your help!

START YOUR JOURNEY

Become John Holden's Donor

If you are considering being a living donor please use links below to contact John Holden's Transplant Center. Begin by completing the donor questionnaire

Becoming a Kidney DONOR Find a Transplant Center near you

University of Alabama at Birmingham

619 South 20th Street, Birmingham, AL, 35233

(205) 975-9200 Email Transplant Center

Did you know?

Medical expenses for living organ donors are 100% covered, and inquires from potential donors are 100% confidential! Contact the Transplant Center to learn more about living donation.

More Donor FAQs

Share the Importance of Living Donation

There are currently 120,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in the U.S. Of these, 100,000 await kidney transplants.

The median wait time for a kidney transplant is 3-5 years and can vary depending on health, compatibility, and where you live.

In 2014, 17,107 kidney transplants took place in the U.S. Of these, 11,570 came from deceased donors and 5,537 came from living donors.

Every 14 minutes someone is added to the kidney transplant waitlist.

A kidney from a living donor lasts longer and begins functioning more quickly than a kidney from a deceased donor.

In 1995, kidney donation became minimally invasive with a procedure called laparoscopic nephrectomy, which only requires four small incisions. Hospital stay is typically only 3 days after this operation.

Not blood type compatible with your recipient to be a living donor? Kidney Paired Donation (the “kidney swap” program) enables incompatible candidates with a living donor to receive a kidney from a compatible donor.

Last year, over 700 living donor kidney transplants occurred using Kidney Paired Donation.