In the Spring of 2001, I was diagnosed with a genetic and fatal kidney disease called Alport’s Syndrome.  It appears that my grandfather passed this on to his three children, who in turn passed it on down the line.  Other family members are showing symptoms in various ways, and my brother Jack — died of it in October 1998.   (I have created a family chart showing the prevalence of Alport’s Syndrome under “Hereditary Info” in this website.)  As you can imagine, this devastating disease has taken quite a toll on my family.  There are now three (perhaps four) of my dad’s grandchildren who are symptomatic of Alport’s.  Hereditary Nephritis is a major cause of CKD.

 

Diane Glass—2006 kidney transplant recipient

    “Through your brave generosity, you too can save a life”  

Massachusetts General Hospital—original building

Diane’s Story

May 31, 2006

 

BREAKING NEWS….     A miracle has occurred.  Diane has been success-fully transplanted with a perfectly matched 44-year-old cadaver kidney.  (I mean this is like a twin sibling.)  This is amazing, this was a one in fifty thousand chance of this ever happening (getting hit by lightning is one in twenty thousand).  In Diane’s own words, she is now ready to “kick ass”.

 

I would like to thank one and all who have been pulling for Diane, as I am sure the combined force of your crossed fingers, thoughts, and prayers have helped this awesome event to occur.   

 

Pete Phildius

  My Friend, Pete

 

For the past seven years, I’ve been under the care of a wonderful nephrologist at MGH, Dr. Leslie T. Fang.  He informed me in October 2005 that my condition had progressed to the transplant stage.  In plain language, I needed a new kidney.  I was told that my best chance for expediting the transplant was to identify a donor on my own.  This was obviously no small task.  My blood was extremely difficult to match.

Unfortunately,  my husband was not blood compatible, nor my son or any other family members because of the hereditary disease.     Because my need was great, however, they were willing to test my husband’s blood and try a fairly new technique of making his incompatible A type blood compatible with my O type, not easy to do.  In parallel to doing this, I continued my search to find a donor.

My friends formed “Team Diane” where the focus was to spread the word about my need.  Simultaneously,  I was listed at the Organ Bank.  Amongst all the activity in searching for a donor (TV, newspapers, newsletters, phone calls, etc.,) on May 29, 2006, I received a call from Massachusetts General Hospital that they had a perfectly matched, compatible kidney.   On May 30, 2006, I received my new kidney.