Tracy Rost Memorial Organ Matching Center
This page is
dedicated to the memory of a smart, loving, and courageous woman who died tragically
young, in July of 2002. It was her hope that Congress would end its nonsensical, counterproductive ban on monetary
compensation for donated organs from brain-dead individuals. That is the proper
solution to the organ shortage, as all of our transplant organ needs could be readily met
that way, and we need not risk the lives of the living.
Nevertheless, until our federal and state legislators get a heart (or need one, perhaps?),
the percentage of transplants that derive from living donors will continue to increase,
and not everyone is lucky enough to have a family member or friend willing to risk it
all. But our nation is full of generous and loving people. (For several
stories of such awe-inspiring kindness, click here.) Some of
those in need of an organ have posted their personal information and contact e-mail
addresses here. Hopefully, someone, somewhere -- you perhaps? -- will find it in
his or her heart to come to their rescue. If you think you might like to be a donor,
please contact them directly.
The information posted here is intended to permit those in need of organs and those willing to donate organs to more readily contact one another. Fraud is a criminal offense, and anyone making fraudulent claims of need or willingness to donate, i.e., with no intent to follow through, is guilty of a morally reprehensible and possibly legally actionable offense. This is a matter of life and death. Time is of the essense. Please behave responsibly.
WARNING 2 WARNING 2 WARNING 2 WARNING 2 WARNING 2 WARNING 2Donating an organ -- especially part of one's liver -- is a risky procedure, and should not be undertaken lightly. Please click here to read about living donation.
Having read these warnings, if you still think you'd like to be a living organ donor, check out your state listing below, and see if there's anyone whom you feel moved to donate to. Please contact them directly, using the e-mail address given. To insure that you're a good match, especially for a kidney or bone marrow donation, it may be necessary to undergo expensive (but painless!) HLA tissue typing (~$3,000) and crossmatching; you can discuss this with your chosen, potential recipient, as it may be covered by their health insurance policy, and any such reimbursement/payment is perfectly legal.
Listings by State:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Thirteen years ago, my wife Krystine received a dual kidney/pancreas
transplant. She had been on dialysis for almost 3 years waiting. About a
year ago, her kidney died, partially because of the antirejection drugs
she was taking as a participant in an experimental program. When it
happened, I told a couple thousand of my closest friends and we got three
volunteers. One was too fat, one was too skinny and the third was just
right. After that, there was a combination of suspicions of complications
(which turned out to be unfounded) followed by Krystine actually
contracting pneumonia. During one of the periods where she almost died,
she had to be given a couple of units of blood. Now that she is all better
and well enough to be able to receive the surgery, she has developed a
sensitivity to a factor in the donor's blood. We fell back to the
volunteer who was not the first choice because of being too skinny. She
was still willing but also tested positive for the same sensitivity.
Krystine can't make it on dialysis while she waits for a cadaver kidney. It's different now that she's spent the last 13 years on anti-rejection meds. If something happens it has to happen sooner than later. We need a person of Type O who is healthy. Our insurance will cover all costs and there is no change in quality of life for the donor. Even the surgery for the donor is simple. In almost all cases the process is laproscopic.
We feel incredibly privileged that so many people so far have come forward, but between the two who tested positive for the sensitivity, one who is a light smoker and can't quit, one who was tested and found to have high blood pressure (thankfully he's now on meds), and one who is the wrong blood type, we're just not done.
If this is something that you think you could help with, please call me. I
can answer a lot of questions you might have.
My numbers are:
508-878-0860 Cell
508-624-6000 x239 Work
508-788-0232 Home
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Enid, 41, Newark; Newark Beth Israel Medical
Center; kidney; type A blood; normal weight: 115 lb; e-mail: ezzy1061@aol.com (posted 8/8/03)
New Mexico
New York
Sheryl, 51, New York City area; kidney;
type AB blood (universal recipient); HLA phenotype: A-24,26; B-35,51; BW-4,6; CW-4;
DR-4,11,52,53; DQ-7; e-mail: Sartlink@aol.com
(posted 5/12/03)
Nevada
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Wanda, 42, Philadelphia; Hahneman Hospital; kidney; type O
blood; normal weight: 130 lb; e-mail: mccainw33@aol.com (posted
8/18/05): "I need a kidney. Dialysis is ruining my life. My left
arm is destroyed from the needles and I am tired. I continue to work. I go to dialysis @ 6am then I go work
from 9:30 -6:30. It's hard. I don't know how long I can keep this up."
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Sybil, 34, Richmond; kidney;
type B blood; weight: 180 lb; e-mail: sgoodenbrown@yahoo.com
(posted 10/27/04)
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail the webmaster
This page was last updated on 10/18/2006