This episode is very special and very personal to my family. My family has a genetic kidney disorder known as polycystic kidney disease - it basically squeezes the life and function out of your kidneys over your lifetime. Without properly functioning kidneys, the waste and toxins in your blood end up poisoning your body and there's no cure, so you are left with two options, dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Today I'm talking to my Aunt Kenne, who was struggling with the disease, and to her kidney donor, Desirae Linden. Desirae tells us her reasons for being a donor and what all it takes to become one.
Desirae is the type of person that gives you hope. She's the type of person that makes you think human beings still have a fighting chance for compassion, empathy, generosity, love and care in this world. She has an incredible kind of person and she's giving the gift of life to more than just Kenne.
On today's podcast...
05:00 - A little background on Kenne and her family
08:25 - What is polycystic kidney disease?
10:12 - What are your options?
13:03 - How did you find out you had it?
16:14 - What's it like on dialysis?
22:22 - How do get on the list for a donor?
26:24 - Meeting Desi, Kenne's donor.
30:35 - What's it like to work in oncology?
37:20 - How did you find out Kenna had the disease?
43:07 - Figuring it out for yourself.
47:30 - What did you have to do to prepare for being a donor?
51:31 - How did you tell Kenne you were approved as a candidate?
59:49 - I said Yes! to the kidney.
1:07:54 - You'll have 3 kidneys for a while?
1:14:48 - Desi feels lucky to be able to donate her kidney.
1:19:52 - Desi says "Why not?" It's not just a kidney, it's a life.
1:22:10 - What does it mean to you to have Desirae donate this kidney to you?
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