DONOR | Andre's Story

Andre Kirnes

LIVING Kidney DONOR NEEDED

Servants of All

My name is Andre’ Kirnes and I am in need of a Kidney donor. I was diagnosed with Polycystic kidney disease in 2002. Overtime, my kidney function has declined causing my kidneys not to work well enough to keep me alive. This is what I am facing now, and my treatment options are limited to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant.

I was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2002. In my youth I was an active Track and Field Athlete. Throughout my life I have been an avid runner, but since my kidney’s started failing, I can no longer run or participate in any strenuous sports activities. I served in the United States Army for 26 years and I am a husband and father of three fine young adults and 2 grandchildren. I have tried to be a strong man of God and have asked for his strength and blessing in writing this message in hopes that someone will see it and be willing to make the sacrifice on my behalf. Being a soldier, I was use to pushing myself mentally and physically to my limits, now I cannot make it through the day with taking a nap - this is not the way I would like to live my life. I would like to be able to spend quality time with my wife, children and grandchildren and share some of my life experiences.

A transplant will give me the opportunity to live out my life as a servant to others. I have faithfully served my nation for over 30 years and I wish to continue to serve in any fashion God sees fit. As the famous boxer, Muhammad Ali said, "Services to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth".

Asking someone to consider donating a kidney to me is difficult, but it greatly improves my chances of getting a transplant. A living kidney donation typically lasts longer and has better function. This is this most difficult thing that I have ever done, ask someone to make the sacrifice of donating a kidney to me. You might not know a lot about living donation - I know I didn’t before kidney disease affected my life. Please share my story with others and hopefully someone will find it in their hearts to make this sacrifice on my behalf.

START YOUR JOURNEY

Become Andre Kirnes's Donor

If you are considering being a living donor please use links below to contact Andre Kirnes'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

Johns Hopkins Hospital

1800 Orleans St, Baltimore, MD, 21287

(410) 614-9345 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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