A Match for Mike - The Bean Project

Thanks for stopping by!  I suppose you are here because you've spoken to me, someone close to me, or through social media.  Either way, I'm glad you're here! Some of you may know that I have kidney disease. What that means is over time, my kidney function has deteriorated and will eventually not work well enough to keep me alive. This is what I am facing now, and my treatment options are limited to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant.

Getting regular dialysis treatments will help my kidneys do their job and keep me alive, but a transplant would offer me more freedom and the ability to live a longer, healthier, more normal life. A transplant would also give me more time to do the fun things I enjoy most, like spending time with my family and friends.  

Finding a kidney for a transplant is not easy. Just ask the 100,000+ people on the waiting list for a deceased donor kidney like me. Time is not on our side. Some wait for years... 5+ years.  But there is another and frankly the best possible chance at transplant;  a live donor. 

 Asking a family member or a friend to consider donating a kidney to me is difficult, but it greatly improves my chances of getting a transplant. A living kidney donation is known to have better function and can last a lifetime!

You might not know a lot about living donation - I know I didn’t before kidney disease affected my life. Understandably, some people are afraid about the surgery and what living with one kidney will mean for them.  But surprisingly, it has amazing statistics and research on life longevity and ease of process.  Here’s some basic information about kidney donation:

• You only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life.
• Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions.
• The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks.
• The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my insurance. My insurance and treatment center can give you extensive information on this.
• You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to evaluate you as a living donor. Their job is to help you understand the risks and benefits and look out for YOUR best interests.  All will be provided to you in the donor information and testing process.

You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NKF.CARES (855.653.2273) or nkfcares@kidney.org. If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NKF can also help.  I also added more information below, so keep scrolling!

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If donating a kidney to me is something you would like to consider, I would be happy to tell you more about my story and explore the process of determining if you are a match for me. You can reach me via email at mikebradlaw@gmail.com or reach my wife, Ryan, at ryaninne@gmail.com.  We can get you in touch with my transplant team at Emory Transplant Center.

I know living donation may not be right for everyone — but you can still help! Consider being an organ donor after death and also, help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. At the very least I want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. I am hopeful my efforts will help me receive a kidney sooner and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the wait list.

Thank you.

Click our wedding photo below to get more information on being a living donor.  Provided by Emory Transplant Center.