Asking for Help
Having my kidneys fail and ending up on home Peritoneal Dialysis every night is, shall I say, "less than ideal." My kidney disease has been progressive over many years due to Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). In fact, I consider myself fortunate to have avoided dialysis or any debilitating symptoms until I was 72 years old.
Here's the thing - I still have a lot to contribute to my professional field of healthcare architecture. As a recipient of the "Planetree Lifetime Achievement Award" for patient-centered design, I want to continue to make a difference! I also want to enjoy my family and friends, see grandchildren, and live life to the fullest! Kidney transplant and a living kidney donation would allow me to maintain my health for as long as possible. My Dad lived independently to 89, and I'd like a shot at that!
P.S. My health is good, besides the kidney failure. But I have noticed I now look like a butternut squash when I wear a yellow shirt.
Help by Spreading the Word
Activate your email signature
Add an active link to your email signature. Your correspondents can click on the link to easily visit this website and learn about my request for a kidney donation.
Talk it up!
You can't always get what you want, but to get what I need I have to ask. Help with "my ask" by telling everyone you meet about me, this website, and my urgent need for a live kidney donation.
I hereby deputize you all as my champions to spread the word!
Get some stickers
Stick 'em up!
Join the team for my DIY advertising campaign. We'll send you some stickers to put up on community bulletin boards, at local businesses, on vehicles or on items you carry (water bottles, laptops, etc.)
Donate to the Transplant program
Let the transplant center know you support me by making a tribute gift "in honor of Marc Schweitzer."
Donations are essential to funding innovative care, new technologies, research, and training.
Living Kidney Donation
1. Complete Questionnaire
I am currently on waiting lists for a kidney transplant at both Sutter's California Medical Center in San Francisco, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona
If you want to be considered as a potential living donor, first complete the Living Donor Screening Questionnaire. Once the questionnaire has been reviewed, the nurse will call to discuss the next steps.
[On the form to designate me as recipient you will need my birthdate, which is May 17, 1953]
You can also speak with a representative of the Living Donor Programs:
at CPMC by calling (415) 600-1700
at Mayo by calling (480) 342-1010
2. Complete Initial Testing
These preliminary tests will determine kidney function and compatibility with the recipient.
3. Complete Evaluation
All living donor candidates must complete a two-day evaluation to determine medical, surgical and psychosocial suitability
4. Get Medical Workup
If you wish to proceed as a donor, whether compatible or not, we’ll schedule a full medical workup at CPMC in San Francisco with a transplant nephrologist and surgeon, as well as a psychosocial evaluation by a transplant social worker.
If you live out of state, the medical workup may be completed locally by a recognized transplant center.
5. Get a CT Scan
On the second day of the evaluation, once it has been determined that you are medically acceptable to be a living donor, a final study — a CT scan — is scheduled.
The CT scan is a type of X-ray that enables the physician to view your kidney and surrounding blood vessels from many different angles. The scan takes about one hour and is usually performed at CPMC in San Francisco unless you live far away.
You and the transplant surgeon will discuss the findings of the scan. If there are no abnormalities, the surgeon will discuss the surgery with you.
6. Arrange a Transplant Date
The last step in the living donation process is scheduling a date for the transplant surgery. This timing is based on:
• Insurance authorization.
• Donor’s and recipient’s medical clearance.
• Recipient’s financial clearance.
• Donor’s and recipient’s schedules.
• Operating room and surgeon’s schedules.
