My name is Heather Ledbetter. I have a zest for life and find happiness in the simple things. I’m 36. I need a living kidney donor. This is my story.
My one kidney has failed. It is a transplanted kidney I received a couple of years ago. It was very healthy when I received it. Last year, I needed a needle biopsy of the transplanted kidney to check for mild rejection. A bleeding event occurred days later. This led to a large blood clot, which pressed on the kidney, eventually causing kidney failure. This means I now need a new kidney from a living donor.
My health problems stem from a rare blood disorder, polycythemia vera, that I developed several years ago. With this disorder, blood clots develop too readily. Clots formed in my liver, necessitating a liver transplant. The liver transplant took place in 2011 at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.
My kidneys eventually failed because my liver was so adversely affected.
My blood disorder is under control with blood thinners. If I can find a living donor and get a transplanted kidney, I can go back to a fairly normal life. Simple everyday life is such a gift.
You might be the person who could make the difference for me. A kidney donation would provide me the gift of life.
The details are these. The transplant would be done at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. My insurance will cover all testing and surgery costs. The donor can return to daily activities in one or two weeks because the surgery is done laparoscopically. A living donor program will cover the food, lodging and travel expenses. I have O-positive blood type, but a person with any blood type can donate with the paired kidney donation program.
May I ask you to give it some thought? Call 828-696-5525 to contact me.
— Heather Ledbetter
Etowah
I am a 44 yr old woman that has two healthy kidneys I’ve never done this before ,