Katie Poole

Frank Vines Needs A LIVING Kidney DONOR

FORE!!! .....for the past several years, my dad has been in the path of many an errant ball called Kidney Failure.

This was originally a Scottish interjection used to warn anyone standing or moving in the flight of a wayward golf ball. My grandfather introduced my dad to the game of golf when he was 6 years old. By the time he was 12, he had hung up his baseball and football cleats, and his basketball found its way to the back of his closet. Dad was a golfer and throughout his youth, his high school and college years, and well into adulthood, he could be found on the driving range, or putting green honing his craft. However, for the past several years, my dad has been in the path of many an errant ball called Kidney Failure.

The game he loves has taught him the following attributes: Patience - a birdie cannot be made off the tee shot, but a double bogey or worse is guaranteed if it’s rushed; Acceptance - not to dwell on past mistakes for they cannot be changed…instead focus on how to recover and minimize the damage going forward; Perspective - there are always more skilled and less skilled players on the field and one’s self worth is not connected to the number on the scorecard, but rather how one handles successes and failures is the true measure of a man.

Dad’s ability to play golf regularly was always the ruler my mom, sister and I used to measure how he was feeling physically as his health started to decline in the face of his failing kidneys. Peritoneal dialysis slowed down how many days/week he played, but it did not extinguish the fight in him. Nor did having his big toe and part of his right foot amputated. Dad is a fierce competitor and his friends in his regular Wednesday group knew that when his name showed up on the tee sheet, they needed to bring their “A” game. However, it has now been 6+ months since he has played the game he loves. He simply does not have the energy to practice even putting and chipping, let alone sign up to play a round of 18.

My dad needs a kidney from a living donor. But the average wait time for a kidney transplant while on the deceased donor waiting list is 3-5 years. Living kidney donation is the best option to help him get off the waiting list and live his life again. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a live donor, or about starting the evaluation process, please look at his Transplant Center's website below. Bad bounces happen in life as well as on the golf course - and they can happen after good shots and bad shots. My dad has had a lot of bad bounces lately…. Please like and share this story so more people can read about the man that only my sister and I are lucky enough to call Dad.

“….A day will come for you when play becomes torment. When you are drowning, not in water but on dry land. In that hour remember me. I will preserve you.” ~ Steven Pressfield, The Legend of Bagger Vance

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