LOOKING FOR PAST KIDNEY DONORS FOR DOCUMENTARY!

[juliefeiner]

We're making a documentary to help inspire living kidney donations and are looking for past kidney donors to interview! Have you donated a kidney or know someone who has? Was it a long time ago? Even better!
Please contact Kimberly Harris: 818-469-9637    email: kimberlyharris@mac.com

[Juannut]

Hi,

I would be happy to be interviewed for your documentary.  I donated a kidney anonymously 3 months ago. 
Unfortunately I am in Canada.  Not sure if that makes a difference.

If it doesn't let me know and I'll contact you at your email address.

[Clark]

I'm coming up on the 11th anniversary of my kidney donation to an acquaintance.

[juliefeiner]

Hi! Thanks for responding back to our post! I just donated a kidney in January 2014 to my friend and colleague, Kimberly Harris, who had been struggling with PKD. We both live in Los Angeles and work in post production in the film industry. We decided to make a documentary about our experience to help inspire living kidney donations. Another friend and colleague of ours, Vickie Sampson, is directing the documentary, and she got to go into the operating rooms at UCLA Medical Center and film both surgeries! We are now searching for donor stories to include in the documentary, and feel the best way to inspire potential donors is to show healthy, happy, active past donors, who donated a kidney years earlier! Even if you live out-of-state, if you donated 10 or more years ago, you may be an ideal candidate for our documentary! Please contact Kimberly Harris at her number or personal email address listed in the post above!  Thanks so much!! Your responses are very appreciated!

Julie

[Fr Pat]

Dear Julie,
     Hi. Best wishes for your project! Great idea!
     I would, however, offer one suggestion, although you may well have already thought of it. When I donated a kidney 12 years ago, it was presented to me as a rather low risk surgery. And in my case everything turned out great and my health continues very good now at age 68. However over the years at this site and other sites kidney donors who have suffered large and small complications have also honestly shared their stories. Some have had serious health issues due to the surgery, and trouble getting follow-up care after the surgery. Others have had major financial problems due to lost wages during extended recovery, and/or trouble getting or keeping health insurance afterwards. Cases of post donation depression have also be shared.
     Some hospitals now are doing a much better job of informing potential donors about all the risks involved, and about the insufficient long-term follow-up of the health of past donors. Other hospitals seem to tend to play down the risks or not even mention them.
     So I do suggest respectfully that you be careful not to make the documentary a totally "feel good" presentation in which everything always goes well. Include solid information about the risks involved and if possible at least one story of a kidney donation that went badly for the donor.
    best wishes,
       Fr. Pat

[juliefeiner]

Fr. Pat,

Thank you so much for your wonderful advice. We will definitely take it to heart and intend to honestly portray the risks and drawbacks so that potential donors will be able to make an informed decision. Your suggestion of covering the potential physical, financial and emotional setbacks that could accompany a kidney donation is an excellent one. Also, getting the word out about these issues could potentially lead to advocacy that could help to eliminate them.

Thank you,

Julie

[Big Maico]

Julie,

I'm only 3 month's post surgery, But I'd be glad ti help out any way I can.

My recipient is my cousin & she's a TV producer & we've talked about doing doing something. but it was from a different angle.

I've sent her a link to this thread.