Kidney Transplantation

The Importance of Knowing Your Family Health History The information you gain when you look into your family’s past is vast and full of pertinent knowledge. You might learn the geographic location of your ancestors and what social or political positions they held.

Advocacy is defined as “giving aid to a cause.” How exactly does someone do that? Of course, there is the money aspect of giving aid. That’s important and necessary. But, as a writer, I know that everyone has a story. Your story with kidney disease can make a difference.

Growing into adulthood is an exciting time in a young adult’s life! It’s a time full of new experiences, meeting new people, and personal growth. However, if the young adult has kidney disease or other chronic medical problems it can be a stressful time.

What is UNOS and what do they do? Many patients have heard of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), but don’t know what they do. UNOS is a private, non-profit organization that runs the nation’s transplant system – known as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)

Have you heard how important it is to participate in research? By taking part in clinical trials of new drugs or medical devices, you help bring fresh treatments and improvements to the quality of life for many. Even more importantly, you can provide the “patient voice” to clinical research!

Your healthcare team may recommend that you follow a meal plan to help you manage your dietary needs. When you’re on dialysis, you may occasionally need to eat more or less of certain nutrients. When you have diabetes, you must balance food choices to keep blood sugar under control.

Why are they important? The first successful kidney transplant surgery in the United States took place in 1954. However, the procedure did not immediately become widespread. This was because the immune system of the kidney transplant recipient would recognize the transplanted kidney as foreign and attack it.