Finding a kidney donor in America is a "part-time job" for patients
LANCASTER, PA – Jody and her husband Michael have launched a grassroots campaign across central Pennsylvania, with yard signs, bumper stickers, and even billboards, all with one simple message: Kidney Donor Needed.
TL;DR
- Jody, a 56-year-old from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is on the national kidney transplant waiting list due to polycystic kidney disease (PKD).
- She and her husband Michael have launched a grassroots campaign, including yard signs and billboards, to find a living kidney donor.
- President Trump's 2019 executive order aimed to improve kidney disease treatment, increasing access to at-home dialysis and reducing transplant failure rates.
- Despite policy improvements and an increase in kidney transplants over the past decade, the number of patients on dialysis is growing faster than the supply of donor kidneys.
- Finding a living donor is critical to avoid the national average wait time of three to five years on the transplant list.
- Personal experiences with kidney disease have driven policy changes, with former and current HHS officials citing family members' struggles with dialysis and transplants.
- The Trump administration has boosted financial incentives for living donors and is investing in xenotransplantation and other biotechnologies.
- Patients face emotional challenges during the wait, including uncertainty about potential donor matches due to medical team confidentiality rules.