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When I found out I had kidney failure in 2004, I was devastated. I couldn't understand how it was possible. I was young and felt perfectly healthy. Within months of my diagnosis, I was on dialysis, and stayed on dialysis for over 5 years. In that time I did my best to continue living life, including continuing to work full time. I was also trained to setup and administer my own dialysis treatments, as it was important for me to maintain my own independence. When I finally got the phone call that a kidney had become available, after connecting myself to a machine that would keep me alive for over 5 years, it couldn't have happened on a better day. It was on my birthday.

You could be a hero to someone, to give them a second chance at life

Organ failure rates are increasing, as is the need for donors, and wait times are increasing. I was one of the lucky ones, while many are not so lucky. Organ failure doesn't discriminate. I was a young and healthy person when I found out my kidneys had failed, and there wasn't anything I did that brought it on. It could happen to you or someone you love, without warning, reason, or explanation. I encourage you to please register your consent to be an organ and tissue donor. By doing so, you could save up to 8 lives. You never know whose life you may save, or who may end up saving your life, or the life of someone you love. And just maybe that person decided to become an organ and tissue donor by reading a very similar message as this one.