From Dialysis to Transplantation

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End-stage renal disease will become the main cause of death over the next two decades, according to the World Health Organization while racial minorities, particularly Blacks, are disproportionately affected by kidney disease, accounting for 32 percent of patients with the illness in America. Raising awareness among high-risk populations affected by chronic kidney disease with information on transplantation, in particular through living donors, is a consortium of doctors, community-based health providers, transplant and communications professionals. Recently, they made a stop on Chicagos South side to talk about reducing wait times for a healthy kidney, getting an organ from a healthy live donor and what donors can generally expect.

Enhancing Life through Transplantation

by Lesley R. ChinnIf a dialysis patient is suffering from chronic kidney disease, organ transplantation may be another lifesaving option.

During a kickoff awareness campaign at Chicago State University last week, the Kidney Informational Consortium (KIC) armed the audience with information about how dialysis patients can enhance their lives through transplantation from living donors.

Dr. Paul Crawford, a partner at Associates in Nephrology in Chicago and KIC spokesman, said far too many people impacted by chronic kidney disease in communities of color are spending excessive periods receiving kidney dialysis treatment.

A U.S. Renal Data System report found that 37 percent of Blacks nationwide are on dialysis while 19 percent only make up organ transplants.

Dr. Amy Waterman, a Washington University medical school professor, noted that in five years, only 35 percent of patients who begin dialysis are still alive but added that with a transplant, the chances of survival increases from about 70 to 80 percent. Waterman is also creator of the St. Louis-based Explore Transplant program, which is designed to educate patients and providers about the medical option of transplantation. She pointed out that minorities on dialysis are less likely to receive information about organ transplants. Everyone needs to make an informed choice early while having the life-saving option of dialysis so that no one is left out, Waterman stated.

As part of the KICs initiative to raise awareness, the group also plans to document the lives of individuals like Citizen Newspapers publisher William Garth, who has been on dialysis for three years and just recently received news about being placed on a kidney transplant list.

Transplantation is a better viable option as opposed to being hooked up to a machine [because] dialysis patients spend so much time being devoted to a machine that they often have barriers that prevent them from living their lives like they want to, said Paul Davis, president of First Trace Communications.

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