Duke Allen, Kidney Recipient

Imagine, 30 years old, beautiful wife, one child, another on the way, a great job and you go to the doctor and he says “This is the day you start dialysis, we have a chair ready for you.” Dialysis...possibly for the rest of your life. I couldn't start that day, I had to go home and refocus on this long journey of dialysis three times a week. The next day I started and was a dialysis patient for six years. I continued to work for several years and shortly after starting dialysis our second son was born. Our kids only knew a dad that was on dialysis three times a week, until I received a kidney transplant.

Thanks to the family of an accident victim, I received a kidney transplant in 1986. It’s been over 27 years since my life was changed. It’s hard to imagine what my family’s life would have been like without it. Imagine the difference you could make as an organ donor!

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