Sara Erskine - Kidney Donor
I think we all dream of different things, ideas, concepts, trips, the future, but we don't act on them. I had a vision. Do something to help someone, not a friend or a family member, but someone I didn't know, a complete stranger. I had heard of someone donating a kidney to a friend years ago, and I remember thinking, "Hmm, I would do that." I thought of it again, but this time, I decided to act on it.
In July of 2017, I made a choice to look into kidney donation. I registered with the National Kidney Registry. They contacted me and the process started. They had me choose a hospital from a list of locations near me, and I chose UCLA. I couldn't have imagined how this would change my life. My first appointment was in August. Everyone in the Connie Frank Transplant Center that I came in contact with was more than wonderful. I met people that, I'm confident, will be lifelong friends. It's not just about them "wanting" your kidney; they genuinely care about you as a person. You're evaluated as a potential donor, and you're also educated on the whole process. Education. Awareness. Huge concepts in the would of kidney disease. Who could imagine that, once a person is on the list for a kidney, they wait an average of 8-10 years! Years. Not months, but years. There're over 103,000 people that are registered and waiting for a kidney. Many people die before they receive one or become too sick to get their transplant. I didn't know.
On November 1, 2017, I gave a gift to a phenomenal, kindhearted man. I donated a kidney. He calls me his guardian angel. In all reality, he's mine. He allowed me to discover something in myself, I guess it was that something that I needed to find. It's one of the best things I've ever done. People talk about having a "bucket list", I don't need one anymore. I now have a sense of joy inside, you might think it sounds crazy, but I'm truly content. I'm sure that somehow, our paths were meant to cross, and our bond is undeniable.
A quick summary of me...I'm a 53 year old, single mom. I have three amazing children (Brynne 22, Cole 19, Riley 16). We're definitely a pet household, which the 4 dogs and 2 cats can attest to, if they could talk. I love to run which helps my mental health as well as physical. I also have two full time jobs, all of which keep me busy. My point Six weeks after donating, I'm back to doing everything I was before, except I do them with a little more spring in my step. No limits, except I was told to refrain from participating in contact sports, as not to risk damaging my other kidney. If you've ever thought about donating but thought you wouldn't be able to do the things you used to, rest assured that you can!
One thing that I want to add...ultimately, I would hope to inspire others to donate or, at least, encourage others to get the word out about how important kidney donation is. During my donation process, I met the most astounding group of individuals, who each have their own part that add to the cohesiveness of the group - the UCLA CORE Kidney Program, Dr. Rastogi and his team and the Green Ribbon Campaign. When people talk about Dr. Rastogi, I hear the words amazing, caring, genuine, kind, great..honestly, in my opinion, there are no words to describe him. It's more of a feeling that you get when you're around the doctor and his team. Passion. True, sincere passion to help others. You feel a bond, and, at risk of sounding cliché, you just know they're there for the greater good. And then, you want to be a part of that bond, that family. Their mission - "to go where no man has gone before", well kind of..actually, in their own words "Our mission is to improve healthcare delivery to patients with kidney disease by implementing our CORE values of Clinical Excellence, Outreach, Research, and Education." Through education and awareness, you can fight kidney disease and make a difference. I have to say that it brings me such inner joy to be able to be a part of it. My journey didn't end when I donated a kidney, it just started.
Be that person. Be the change.
