DONOR | Sam's Story

Sam Palmeri

LIVING Kidney DONOR NEEDED

After my living donor transplant I will continue to walk for the National Kidney Foundation to support others facing this devastating chronic illness.

My name is Sam Palmeri and I am looking for a living kidney donor. I’ve had kidney disease for many years. I started this journey with being diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, which was caused from being a diabetic for years. As of May of 2024, I ended up in the hospital and was told that I have migrated from Stage 3 to Stage 5, End Stage of Kidney Failure which began my search for a living kidney donor. In June of 2024, I had a chest port put in and was placed on dialysis. On August 9th, I had a fistula placed in my arm that failed. I will now be going through another surgery to fix it. This will be used for dialysis instead of the chest port.

Vanita, who is my lifeline and my absolute strength, had once again saved my life. On August 23, she found me bleeding out and was a pure hero by stopping the bleeding, believe it or not, with a pill cap. Yep, a pill cap, as she took step by step instructions from the 911 operator. Needless to say, I needed emergency surgery to save my life. I seriously cannot thank her enough for all she has done in my life, again!

Moving forward, over the last 5 months, I have been on a mission to get on the transplant list and looking for a match for a living organ donor.
After my living donor transplant, I would like to continue to walk for the National Kidney Foundation because too many families (like mine) are coping with this devastating chronic illness, and thousands more will face an unexpected kidney disease diagnosis for years to come.

I walk to support the lifechanging work of the National Kidney Foundation:
-To ensure that families will have a place to turn when they need answers.
-To keep up the fight for policy changes to protect kidney patients and living donors.
-To drive innovation in transplantation and get more loved ones off the kidney transplant waitlist.
Are you with me? Please consider supporting my efforts with the Kidney Walk Fundraiser or to the National Kidney Foundation with a donation.
Share my story and help me find a living kidney donor!

START YOUR JOURNEY

Become Sam Palmeri's Donor

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

Fill Out DONOR Questionnaire
(INQUIRES ARE 100% CONFIDENTIAL)

Becoming a Kidney DONOR Find a Transplant Center near you

Henry Ford Hospital

2799 W Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI, 48202

(313) 916-1269 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.

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