Be the match

I’m Mary Liapis and I have Polycystic Kidney ​Disease. I need a kidney transplant to ​continue to live a normal and pain-free life.

Read our stories and understand how the generous gift of a ​kidney from donors have extended and enriched the lives of ​my family members. I’m hoping to find a donor who will give ​me the same precious gift of a long healthy life.

Our Stories

Read our stories and understand how the ​generous gift of a kidney from donors have ​extended and enriched our lives.

Mary: Her Time

Born in Australia to Greek immigrants, Mary arrived in Charlotte as a six-year-old ​child in 1970. America promised opportunity for this family that had seen its share ​of challenges. Conversations at Mary’s house happened in both Greek and ​English and coming from Australia, you’d hear the Queen’s English sprinkled in ​as well. She grew up surrounded by cousins and aunts and uncles who had also ​immigrated to the Charlotte area. But there were always frequent visits to ​grandparents and family that remained in Greece. Her time as a child was happy ​and carefree.

The three Katsanos siblings: Bill, Mary and Tina

George, Katie, and Mary at our restaurant, Carolina Prime Steakhouse

As an adult, she was the familiar face you saw when you walked into Carolina Prime Steak House -- the ​beautiful blonde with the striking blue eyes. Always a bright smile on her face as she welcomed guests into the ​restaurant she owned and operated with her husband, George. And before Carolina Prime, George and Mary ​welcomed guests at Tryon House and Midwood Junction. Mary spent her time working making others feel ​welcomed and happy and comfortable.

Her time as a mom is what brings Mary the greatest joy. Katie, her only child, is her best friend. And Katie will tell ​you the same. Mary is Katie’s biggest supporter and watched proudly as Katie graduated from South Meck High ​School, then UNC and Queens with a degree in Nursing. When Katie and Tommy married, Mary planned the ​wedding of Katie’s dreams -- a perfect winter wonderland. Mary’s joy was multiplied with the birth of her first ​grandchild several years later. Mary Katherine, in the Greek tradition, is named after her grandmother, Mary. ​This time she has with Katie -- and with little Mary -- is precious.

After years of hard work, Mary and George sold the restaurant and retired. This was their time to enjoy life. ​To spend time with Katie, Tommy and little Mary. To visit Greece more often and spend time with George’s ​brothers and Mary’s aunts and cousins still living there. This was her time.

Unfortunately, it was also time for her to deal with the genetic time bomb that had been ticking away since she ​was twenty-two. Polycystic kidney disease was something she had kept at bay for many years. Sure, it would ​creep in every so often with a kidney infection or a little kidney stone, but she hadn’t let that get in the way of ​her living her life. But now, PKD was taking its turn. The doctors said it’s time. It’s time to get on the list for a ​kidney donation.

Soon, to survive, Mary’s time will be spent on a dialysis machine. Soon, instead of being able to visit family in ​Greece or little Mary in Maryland, her time will be spent close to the hospital – waiting for the call that a donor ​kidney has been located. Hoping that one is found in time…

But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is a match for Mary. Please help us find that special person. A living ​kidney donor can give Mary a new life and not just time with her family but QUALITY time with George, Katie, ​Tommy, little Mary and the rest of her family and friends. Click here to learn more about being a living kidney ​donor.

Katie’s Story: Heartfelt

Today I am writing to you with a deeply personal request for someone ​who is very dear to my heart -- my amazing mom, Mary Liapis. Some of ​you may know that she has a genetic condition called polycystic kidney ​disease (PKD). Over the last year, her kidney disease has gotten much ​worse. Her kidneys are no longer working well enough to keep her alive ​and very soon her treatment options will be limited to dialysis or a kidney ​transplant. So her doctors have urged us that now is the time to GET ​LOUD about her condition in hopes that a living kidney donor can be ​found.

My mom was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease at the age of 22. ​PKD is a progressive disorder that causes cysts to form on the kidneys, ​leading to a decline in kidney function over time. Over the years this has ​significantly impacted my mom’s life and health as well as the lives of ​countless members of our extended family. Unfortunately, we are all too ​familiar with the challenges that come along with treating end-stage ​kidney disease.

Getting regular dialysis treatment, usually three times a week for four ​hours at a time will help her kidneys do their job and keep her alive. A ​kidney transplant, on the other hand, would offer her more freedom, and ​the ability to live a longer, healthier and more normal life. The ability to ​spend more time doing the thing she loves most -- being a grandmother. ​But as you probably could have guessed, finding a kidney for transplant ​is not an easy task. There are currently over 100,000 people, like my ​mom, on the waitlist for a deceased donor kidney. Some wait for years, ​others die waiting. However, there is another option -- receiving a kidney ​from a living donor.

Asking a family member or a friend to consider donating a kidney to my ​mom is difficult. Mostly for my mom, but also for me. I would donate my ​kidney to my mom in a heartbeat. She is quite literally my favorite person ​in the world. But at this time, her doctors and mine have advised me ​against it. So that is why I am writing this letter. To ask if you, or ​someone you know, would consider giving the life-saving gift of a kidney ​to my mom.

You might not know a lot about living donation. Understandably, some ​people are afraid about the surgery and what living with one kidney will ​mean for them. Here are some basic facts about kidney donation:

• You only need one kidney to live a healthy long life.
• Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny ​incisions.
• The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.
• The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my mom’s ​insurance.
• If a kidney donor and recipient pair are not a good match, they can ​participate in a “Kidney Paired Donation” in which they swap with ​other pairs to get better matches.
• You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to ​evaluate you as a living donor. Their job is to help you understand ​the risks and benefits and look out for YOUR best interests.

You can learn more about living donation on the National Kidney ​Foundation website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the ​NKF’s free confidential helpline at 855-NKF-CARES (855-653-2273) or ​nkfcares@kidney.org

Thank you for taking the time to read my mom’s story. Please know that ​I understand considering such a significant decision as becoming a living ​donor is not to be taken lightly. And I also know that living donation may ​not be right for everyone. But there’s still ways that you can help. ​Please share this letter with everyone you know to help get the word out. ​I am hopeful that my efforts will help my mom receive a kidney sooner ​and at the very least, bring awareness to kidney disease and living ​donation.

With my sincerest gratitude,

Katie

Dennis’s Story : Prisoner

It was a hard life for Dionysus Doulavaris. Despite the beauty of his homeland in Central Greece, the terrain ​itself was difficult. Rocky and mountainous, it took a strong constitution and a good mule to get you from one ​farm to another or even down to the village for supplies. Dennis, as we would call him if he were in America, ​had that strong build and a hearty soul. He would need it because it wasn’t only the terrain that would prove ​to be a hardship for him.

Like much of Europe in the 40’s, Greece was ​engulfed by the effects of World War II. The Greek ​Resistance was known as one of the most effective ​against the Axis forces, but the retaliation for that ​impact was brutal. Villages were burned, citizens ​were tortured and killed, starvation was widespread. ​Dennis and his family felt all of it. In a desperate ​attempt to feed their families, a group of men ​traveled across the mountain to a village where ​there was rumored to be food. Instead, they found a ​band of rebels who jailed the group for three days – ​unsure of their intentions or loyalty. This photo ​captures that moment and their faces say it all.

But even after holding back the Nazi’s, there was no relief. A civil war within Greece created more ​chaos and more unrest. With the brutality of Greek fighting against Greek, economic instability, the ​suspension of civil rights and the debilitating effects of years of war, Greece was a difficult place to live. ​And many Greeks decided to migrate to other countries including some of Dennis’s children. But, ​finally, there was some sort of peace in Greece. And for some time, Dennis did have his own peace. ​His children thrived and their families grew. His grandchildren would visit and connect with the history ​and culture of their ancestors in the beautiful and rough terrain of their grandfather’s farm.

Unfortunately, Dennis’ struggles were not over. And sadly, his final struggle was one he did not win -- his ​battle with polycystic kidney disease. An inherited disease in which clusters of cysts develop primarily ​within the kidneys, causing the kidneys to enlarge and lose function over time. There was no name for ​the mysterious kidney illness that affected Dennis. His mother had the same unnamed affliction and had ​died young. Dennis went into kidney failure at the age of 63. There was no diagnosis of his disease, no ​treatment, no dialysis, no transplant, no hope for recovery. But his generation would be the last one that ​would be a prisoner of this dreadful disease.

And now his granddaughter, Mary is the one fighting the family’s genetic disease. It has a name now ​and although there is no cure there is hope for Mary to live a normal life. She needs a kidney donor and ​that match could be you. Learn more about the process of becoming a living kidney donor by clicking ​here.

Katherine’s Story: Undaunted

It is the perfect description of her – undaunted. It means ​resolutely courageous. Plucky, gritty, and determined. Not ​intimidated or discouraged by the difficulties, danger and ​disappointments that have impacted her life. When you meet ​Katherine, even at aged 88, you can still see that unflinching ​determination in her eyes.

Some of her earliest memories were hearing the nightly ​exchange of gunfire between the Greek Resistance fighters ​and Nazi’s in the hills above her village during World War II. ​She was five.

The political power vacuum created after World War II led to ​a civil war in Greece. When it finally ended, she was thirteen. ​Her entire childhood had been in a war zone.

After many years of war, her country was slow to recover ​economically, and it was hard to find work. Katherine decided ​to follow her brothers to Australia: a new country, a new ​opportunity, a new culture, a new language and a new life.

At just twenty-two she had experienced a lifetime of turmoil ​that would have broken many people. But instead, she grew ​stronger – more determined. She married, gave birth to three ​children, and ten years later relocated to start over again in ​America.

Katherine and her husband worked long hours running ​restaurants, raising their children, and acclimating to a new ​country. The hardships of her past were just a memory but ​also a constant reminder to cherish the good life she now ​enjoyed. Then, the difficulties returned.

Katherine’s father became ill in Greece. No one knew at the ​time that he was suffering from the same disease that had ​killed his mother – Polycystic Kidney Disease. It’s a genetic ​condition that causes fluid-filled sacs called cysts to grow in ​the kidneys. These cysts grow very large and cause the ​kidneys to enlarge, which can lead to a loss of kidney ​function and eventually kidney failure. Several years later, ​Katherine’s brother would die from complications of PKD. In ​2006, Katherine’s only son would be diagnosed with PKD and ​then shortly after that, Katherine herself received the same ​diagnosis.

Katherine faced PKD with the same determination and ​courage that she did every other challenge in her life. She sat ​side by side with her son in dialysis as they both waited for ​the phone call that would save their lives – telling them that a ​donor kidney is available. Katherine’s came from an organ ​donor.

Since 2009 when Katherine received her donated kidney, ​she’s seen her grandchildren graduate from college and get ​married. She’s had great grandchildren born and baptized. ​She’s visited Greece several times to reconnect with her ​sisters and brothers still living there. She’s enjoyed countless ​holidays, weddings and gatherings with her family, including ​her son who also is thriving thanks to a living kidney donor. ​She’s been able to live a happy and fulfilled life.

And now her daughter Mary is the latest family member to be ​stricken with this dreadful disease. Mary is in the prime of her ​life and just like Katherine has that gritty determination to ​work through life’s hardships. She is looking for the person ​that will be Mary’s Match and that can give her the gift of a ​healthy life free of the effects of PKD. To learn more about ​being a living kidney donor, click here.

Bill’s Story: Normal

You can’t see kidney disease. So, when you looked at Bill Katsanos, ​you’d never know what he was going through. He was a handsome ​man in his late twenties, an outgoing successful restaurant owner, a ​good friend who loved to play soccer, an active member of his church ​and the local Greek community. From the outside, everything looked ​normal. But if you could just look inside, you would see that it was ​anything but normal.

Starting in his twenties and continuing for the next twenty-five years, ​Bill had multiple kidney stones, debilitating migraine headaches – ​sometimes as many as three a week, excruciating back pain from ​rupturing kidney cysts, a dangerous brain aneurysm, and declining ​kidney function. Bill had inherited the gene for polycystic kidney ​disease. He knew what he was facing as he had seen other family ​members with these same symptoms. It was never easy, but Bill ​fought through the pain and every health challenge, determined to live ​a normal life. And to most people, it did look normal. He pushed so ​hard for that normal life, that sometimes it was hard to believe he was ​sick.

When his kidney function declined to the point that dialysis was ​needed, Bill’s name was added to the transplant list at area hospitals. ​For a year and half, three times a week for four hours at a time, he was ​hooked up to a machine that filtered the impurities from his blood ​because his kidneys could no longer do it. He had lost the energy to ​work. Vacations with his family were impossible because he had to be ​near the dialysis machine.His diet was restricted to protect his ​weakened kidney. Very quickly his charade of a normal life ​disappeared, and it was clear to everyone that saw him that Bill was ​sick – very sick. The only thing that would make life normal again was ​a healthy kidney.

And then he got the call. Not from the hospital but from his former ​employee, Tara. Knowing he was going through dialysis, she was ​worried about him and called to check on him. On that call, Tara told ​Bill she wanted to see if she would be a match for his needed kidney. ​Tara was only 19 years old. That phone call changed the trajectory of ​Bill’s life. He received a gift that’s still difficult for him to comprehend. ​And he still struggles to know how to adequately express his gratitude.

Today, when you look at Bill everything looks normal. He’s still a ​handsome man who enjoys spending time with his family and ​especially his son, Christian. He’s an avid fisherman. He has traveled ​around the US, and to Australia, Greece and Scotland. It looks like a ​happy and normal life. But if you could see on the inside, you would ​see that he is still not normal. If you could see on the inside, you would ​see that he has the healthy kidney of an angel.

There is a 50/50 chance a child will inherit the PKD gene from their ​parent. In the Katsanos family, 2 of the 3 children inherited the gene -- ​Bill and his sister, Mary. It’s Mary who is now in need of a kidney as ​her disease has progressed and her kidneys are beginning to fail. She ​is currently on lists at area transplant centers for available kidneys but ​the wait could take years. You or someone you know may be her ​match. Click here to learn about becoming a living kidney donor.

Tara’s Story: Compassion

“Compassion is to see others free from suffering”

Dalai Lama

She knew she had to do something. When she came to work ​that day and saw her boss, Bill, sitting in a booth at the ​restaurant, ashen and holding his head in his hand, she could ​tell that things were bad. “Are you ok?” she asked. “I’m not ​doing so good today.” Bill responded. He was fighting the ​effects of polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disease that ​causes fluid filled sacs to form in the kidneys and often leads to ​severe kidney damage. After dealing with symptoms of the ​disease for more than 30 years, Bill’s kidneys were now failing. ​He had been on the waiting list for a kidney transplant for over ​a year. The only thing keeping him alive now were three time a ​week visits to dialysis and the side effects of that treatment ​were difficult.

She still remembers that moment, turning to walk away and ​asking herself; how can I help? Could I be his living kidney ​donor? Should I try? The answer came to her quickly. Yes. ​There was no question in her mind.

However, there were questions in others’ minds. Tara was only ​nineteen years old. Had she really thought this through? What ​about getting married? Would she be able to have children? ​How would having only one kidney impact her life? This ​surgery was a big decision with a lot of unknowns, wasn’t it? ​But Tara had no doubts, no hesitations. She was confident in ​her decision and in the guidance of the healthcare ​professionals from the Wake Forest University Transplant ​Team. This was the right thing to do.

Today, Tara doesn’t think much about the transplant surgery ​and her kidney donation from 2008. She’s busy raising two ​handsome and brilliant boys, running a successful photography ​business, and helping her partner market his various business ​ventures. She still works outs regularly, pays attention to her ​diet, focuses on wellness and has grown into a beautiful ​woman. When you asked her why she decided to donate her ​kidney, she says, “I’ve always wanted to help people ever ​since I was a little girl. When I saw him sitting there that day so ​sick. I knew I had to help him.”

On the morning of May 19, 2024, Tara received this text:

Tara – we have never met but I owe you a big debt of gratitude. Today, I’m getting married to Bill ​Katsanos. And I know that would not be possible without the generous gift you gave many years ​ago…He’s happy and healthy thanks much in part to you. And I just wanted to say thank you. I hope ​to meet you one day.

The gift of a kidney from a living donor has a ripple effect that goes so far beyond the recipient. That ​act of kindness and compassion changes a person’s life and their family’s life. Mary is praying that ​someone like Tara will be the one to make the difference for her and her family. If you are interested ​in learning more about what’s involved in becoming a living kidney donor, click here.

“We can’t heal the world today, but we can begin with the voice of compassion, a heart of love, an ​act of kindness.” Mary Davis

BE THE MATCH

What is Polycystic Kidney Disease?

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is one of the most common, life-​threatening genetic diseases. In ADPKD, fluid-filled cysts develop and enlarge in both kidneys, ​eventually leading to kidney failure. It is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure and more than ​50 percent of people with ADPKD will develop kidney failure by age 50. Once a person has ​kidney failure, dialysis or a transplant are the only options.

ADPKD is a painful disease that impacts quality of life. The average size of a typical kidney is a ​human fist. Polycystic kidneys can get much larger, some growing as large as a football, and ​weighing up to 30 pounds each.

Unlike some genetic diseases, ADPKD does not skip a generation meaning it often affects many ​people in one family. Approximately 10 percent of the people diagnosed with ADPKD have no ​family history of the disease, with the disease developing as a spontaneous (new) mutation. ​Once a person has ADPKD, even because of a spontaneous mutation, they have a 50 percent ​chance of passing it on to each of their children.

What are the related health complications of PKD?

PKD can affect organs other than the kidneys. The following list of potential problems may look long ​and overwhelming, but it is important to remember that most people do not have all of these ​problems.

More than eighty percent of patients with PKD develop liver cysts during their lifetime. Liver cysts

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a condition where the valve separating the top and the bottom of the ​left side of the heart does not close properly. Sometimes this causes blood to leak back to the top ​part of the heart. Symptoms that can be associated with MVP are palpitations, a feeling that the heart ​is running away or that there are extra beats in the heart and chest pain that is not associated with ​exercise or exertion. MVP occurs with increased frequency in patients with PKD as compared to the ​general population.

Recent studies done in the United States have shown that PKD patients have about a 5 – 10 percent ​risk of developing intracranial aneurysms. This is about five times the risk of the general population. ​An aneurysm is an outpouching in a blood vessel, which can leak or rupture. Intracranial (brain) ​aneurysms occur in the blood vessels of the brain. Symptoms can include sudden severe headache, ​pain in moving your neck, nausea/vomiting, difficulties with speech or movement and/or loss of ​consciousness. A ruptured aneurysm can be fatal.

Both inguinal and umbilical hernias are more common in those with PKD. Inguinal hernias are ​outpouchings in the area of the groin. Umbilical hernias are outpouchings at or near the navel.

Diverticula are outpouchings on the large intestine (colon). It appears that patients with PKD who are ​on dialysis or have had a transplant have diverticula more often and also have more complications ​from diverticula, including infection, than patients with other kidney diseases.

A recent study found that PKD patients face elevated risk of diabetes after a kidney transplant.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Being a Living Kidney Donor

Living kidney donation is when a healthy person donates one of their two kidneys while they are alive. ​Getting a kidney from a living donor has lots of benefits for the person who needs a transplant, called the ​recipient. If you are interested in donating a kidney, you will work with a transplant center at a hospital. ​The transplant center will make sure you are healthy enough to donate, do the surgery, and help you ​recover.

Who can be a living donor?

There are a few common requirements for people who are interested in living donation. You must be at ​least 18 years old. Some transplant centers require a donor to be 21 or even a little older. There are ​some medical conditions that could prevent you from being a living donor, including having uncontrolled ​high blood pressure, diabetes, or cancer. If you’re a smoker, you will most likely be asked to quit before ​being approved to donate. You should be honest with the team about your smoking habits to make sure ​that the donation and transplant are successful.

Each transplant center has slightly different requirements, so you should always let the transplant center ​decide who would be a good donor. If you are not approved as a living donor at one transplant center, ​you may be able to get evaluated at other centers who have different requirements.

Types of Living Donation: Directed and Non-directed

There are two types of living kidney donation:

• Directed Donation is when the donor names a specific person who will receive the kidney. It is the ​most common type of living donation. Directed donations are often between blood relatives, like ​parents, siblings, or children. They can also happen between people with close personal ​relationships, such as a spouse, friend, or coworker.
  
• Non-directed donation is when a person donates anonymously to someone in need. They usually ​do not have any kind of relationship with the person who gets their donated kidney. Other names for ​a non-directed donor include an altruistic or “good Samaritan” donor.
  

If you are planning to donate to someone you know directly, there is always a chance you will not be a ​good match. Maybe you and the recipient do not have blood types that work together, or there can be ​other factors that would not allow the transplant to be successful.

What if I'm not a match?

If you turn out not to be a good match, another option is a “paired exchange”. A paired exchange involves ​two pairs of living donors and their recipients. The two recipients “swap” donors so that each receives a ​kidney from the other person’s donor. If this is an option for you, your transplant team will coordinate the ​entire process, including finding the other matching pair

Benefits

While there are no physical benefits for a living donor to donate a kidney, kidney transplant can save the ​life of someone with kidney failure. People with kidney failure who receive a transplant can live longer ​and enjoy life more, especially giving them freedom from staying on dialysis.

Getting a living donor transplant has several benefits for the recipient with kidney failure compared to ​getting a deceased donor transplant:

• A shorter wait – Having a living donor means the patient no longer has to wait on dialysis. If ​someone has kidney failure and can find a donor before they need to start dialysis, they may be able ​to get a preemptive transplant, meaning they don’t have to go on dialysis at all.
  
• A better match – Some living donor transplants are done between family members who are ​genetically similar, but you can be a great match with someone you are not related to. A better ​genetic match lessens the risk of rejection.
  
• Lasts longer - On average, a kidney from a living donor lasts about 15 to 20 years, compared to 7 to ​10 years for a kidney from a deceased donor. Some will last longer; others will last less. Living donor ​kidneys also have a better chance at working right away than deceased donor kidneys.
  
• Better timing – With a living donor, it is possible to plan the surgery day and time at a good time for ​the pair and the transplant team. This way, both the kidney patient and their living donor can be at ​their healthiest.
  

Risks

Just like having any other surgery, there are risks involved with having a living donor surgery. Some ​short-term risks include:

• bleeding or getting an infection in the areas around the surgical area
  
• developing a hernia if you lift anything too heavy right after surgery
  
• getting a UTI, or Urinary Tract Infection. This can be caused from having a urinary catheter placed ​during surgery to allow your body to urinate while you're in surgery and under anesthesia
  

The transplant team will talk to you more about these and other potential long term risks of donating a ​kidney during your evaluation.

Making the decision to donate

The transplant center will have a dedicated team just for your care during the evaluation and surgery. ​Their goal is to take care of your health and give you the support you need to make the best decision for ​you – whether that means you end up donating or not.

Donating a kidney is very a very personal decision. You may want to talk to people you trust about your ​choice, including family or friends, no matter if you’re trying to donate to someone you have a ​relationship with or to someone you do not know. You should never feel any pressure to donate. It can ​be helpful to talk to living donors who’ve gone through the process for support or your faith leader to ​help you decide if living donation is right for you.

How to donate a kidney

If you’re interested in becoming a living donor, the first thing you'll have to do is contact a transplant ​center to get evaluated. If you have someone in mind who you’d like to donate to, you usually have to ​get evaluated at the same transplant center. If you don’t have someone in mind to donate to, then you ​can get evaluated at any transplant center to begin the process.

The costs for the donor directly related to the evaluation, surgery, and follow-up appointments are ​covered through your recipient’s health insurance, no matter who you donate to. There are some ​expenses not covered by health insurance, including pay for missing work, childcare, and travel ​expenses.

There are programs that can help you pay for these costs. Some people decide to have fundraisers to ​raise money for out-of-pocket expenses not covered by insurance. Talk to the transplant center to learn ​more about any programs they offer to support living donors.

After you’ve contacted a transplant center, you'll have a 1–2-day evaluation that includes meeting your ​living donor team and having tests done, including blood draws, urine samples, and imaging, like x-rays ​and CT scans.

Once you’re approved, you'll be scheduled for surgery at a good time for both you and your recipient. ​Your surgery will most likely be laparoscopic, meaning you'll have tiny incisions in your belly area to ​remove your kidney. Most donors only stay in the hospital after donating for about 1-2 nights.

It will take about 4-6 weeks to fully recover and get back to a normal, healthy life. You'll have ​follow-up appointments with the transplant team to make sure you're doing well and healing ​properly.

Life After Donating a Kidney

• Kidney donors will not have a shorter life from donating their kidney. Research has shown that ​living kidney donors, of all ethnicities, have the same life expectancy, or live just as long, as ​people who don't donate.
  
• A female donor should wait between 6 months to 1 year after donation to become pregnant. The ​body needs time to recover from the surgery and to adjust to living with one kidney before ​pregnancy. You should talk with your doctor before becoming pregnant. There is a small risk for ​developing high blood pressure and other conditions related to pregnancy with one kidney, so ​you should make sure you receive proper prenatal care.
  
• Pain medicine is only needed for a short time after surgery. You will not have to take medicine for ​the rest of your life just because you donated a kidney. Your time on pain medicine right after ​surgery is decided between you and the transplant team.
  
• Donors do not have to follow a special diet after donating, but a healthy, balanced diet is ​recommended for anyone. Donors can still drink alcohol, in moderation.
  
• Donors should take special care of the kidney they have left, including protection during contact ​sports.
  

Atrium Health

Living Donor Program

Unlocking the Gift of Life

Mary is registered for donor kidneys at Atrium Health. Here’s information on that program and the steps ​involved in becoming a living kidney donor.

In the realm of healthcare, few gifts are as profound as the gift of life. Atrium Health's Living Kidney ​Donor Program stands as a beacon of hope and compassion, making a difference in the lives of ​countless individuals suffering from kidney disease.

What is the Living Kidney Donor Program?

Atrium Health’s Living Kidney Donor Program is a dedicated initiative designed to connect generous ​individuals willing to donate a kidney with patients in need of a transplant. Living kidney donation is a ​powerful option that not only provides a life-saving solution for those with end-stage kidney disease but ​also improves their quality of life and long-term health outcomes.

Why Choose Living Kidney Donation?

**1. Greater Success Rates: Living kidney transplants often have better success rates compared to ​deceased donor transplants. The kidneys from living donors tend to function better and last longer.

**2. Shorter Wait Times: By choosing to become a living donor, you can significantly reduce the wait time ​for patients in need. This can be a life-changing difference for someone on the transplant list.

**3. Improved Quality of Life: Recipients of living donor kidneys generally experience a better quality of ​life, with fewer complications and improved kidney function.

How to Get Involved

To begin the process visit Atrium Health's Living Kidney Donor Program or contact their office directly. ​The team will guide you through the process, answer your questions, and provide support every step of ​the way. Your decision to donate can be the spark of hope and renewal in Mary’s life. You can also click ​this link to go directly to the form to get tested to see if you are a Match for Mary, To complete the form ​you’ll need Mary’s full name and birthdate: Mary Liapis 03/28/1964.

Living kidney donation is a testament to human kindness and the incredible strength of the human spirit. ​By participating in Atrium Health’s Living Kidney Donor Program, you are not only giving the gift of life but ​also becoming part of a community committed to compassion and care.

I’m Mary Liapis and I need a kidney ​to live a happy and healthy life. ​Please help me find my match.

maryskidneymatch@gmail.com