Type O's... it's your turn!

This is your chance to be a hero just because you are the right type or know the right type.

We live in a world of abundance. Just look all around you and the evidence proves there is no shortage of oxygen, smiles, sunshine, water, blood and living organs. And yet, we have people who need clean air, compassion, a walk in the park, clean water, blood, livers and kidneys.

For years now I have believed that God gave me two healthy kidneys, one to sustain life and one to hold until someone needs it. And then in August of 2008 I learned that Pat needed my kidney. I should say that Pat needed a kidney and I thought it was mine. I have never met or spoken to Pat but I learned of her story through a close friend. I didn't need to know anything about her other than she needed a kidney. That was enough information for me to believe that this was the time that God was calling upon me for my end of the bargain. I have since learned that Pat has been on dialysis for over a year and while it is life sustaining for now, it is not permanent nor is it convenient.

And so I started the process of determining if my kidney and Pat's body were compatible. I am a type A positive and Pat is type O. That's really all I know about her. We did not match initially but I was told that there was still a 20% chance that my kidney could be used. After going through additional matching tests, it was determined that my kidney would not work and we are back to square one. I have since gone through other tests so that Pat and I could get on a shared waiting list that looks for other people with the same scenario. So now we are on a list looking for a type O donor and a type A recipient. If this combination is found then the four of us will go through a donation procedure at the same time.

This is where you come in. If you are reading this post it is not by accident. If we do live in a world of abundance then it's not a question of do we find a kidney for Pat? We will find a kidney for Pat and it will give her the quality of life that she deserves. What type of Hero are you? You could be a type O and the gracious act of giving one of your kidneys to Pat means that you are a life saving hero. You could be the type of hero that passes this information along to as many people as you can and you would be a life saving hero of the networking variety. Regardless of your type, please choose to be a hero, lives depend on it. http://www.linkedin.com/in/thommonahan