Dan Brausch: Kidney Transplant Recipient
Donation protected
My name is Daniel Brausch. I am 30 years old. I have been a resident of Camden County Georgia for 11 years. I live in Kingsland with my wife, Sarah and son, Anthony.
In 2009, I was diagnosed with FSGS (Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis) which is a form of genetic kidney disease that causes extreme scarring in your kidneys. By July 2011, my kidney function had dropped low enough to be accepted for transplant by Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Everything was looking so promising, my sister was approved as a living donor in December 2011 and the transplant was performed on March 6, 2012. It did not occur to me that this was only the beginning of my journey.
Over the course of the next several months, I was re-hospitalized multiple times with infections and various complications. By January 2013, things appeared to be turning around until a routine lab visit showed signs of rejection. In February, I spent several weeks in the hospital enduring evasive treatments to save my kidney which all proved to be unsuccessful. It was at this time that I was told a second transplant would be necessary.
Eventually, my kidney function dropped to 8%, worse than it had ever been before my transplant. The thought of dialysis had become a reality. On May 9, 2013 I began my dialysis treatments. I have to perform these treatments every night until I am given another kidney.
Currently, we are awaiting approval from Georgia Regents in Augusta, Georgia to be put back on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry as a candidate for transplantation. Although I will not have a concrete answer for 6-8 weeks, I have a great feeling that we have found an excellent team to assist in our next transplant.
In the meantime, my wife and I are working to become advocates toward organ donor awareness. This web page is only the beginning to the footprint that we hope to leave as a reminder for the extreme need of organ donors; not only for us but others across the country that is experiencing similar endeavors. Regardless of the organ needed for an individual's quality of life, there is a painstakingly higher demand than supply. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 18 people die each day waiting for an organ.
Right now, we are doing fundraisers to raise money for my future transplant. These fundraisers will assist in co-pays, prescriptions, travel and lodging. Ultimately, our goal is to expand this page into a foundation that allows us to pay forward the selfless help that has been extended to me since my diagnosis.
I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to all of my family, friends, and community members that have prayed and supported us over the past couple of years.
I'd also like to give a special thank you to my sister Becky and her family for all the sacrifices that she, her husband and four children had to make. Though the outcome is not what we all were hoping and praying for, she still put her own life at risk to extend mine; and for that I am forever grateful.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
In 2009, I was diagnosed with FSGS (Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis) which is a form of genetic kidney disease that causes extreme scarring in your kidneys. By July 2011, my kidney function had dropped low enough to be accepted for transplant by Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Everything was looking so promising, my sister was approved as a living donor in December 2011 and the transplant was performed on March 6, 2012. It did not occur to me that this was only the beginning of my journey.
Over the course of the next several months, I was re-hospitalized multiple times with infections and various complications. By January 2013, things appeared to be turning around until a routine lab visit showed signs of rejection. In February, I spent several weeks in the hospital enduring evasive treatments to save my kidney which all proved to be unsuccessful. It was at this time that I was told a second transplant would be necessary.
Eventually, my kidney function dropped to 8%, worse than it had ever been before my transplant. The thought of dialysis had become a reality. On May 9, 2013 I began my dialysis treatments. I have to perform these treatments every night until I am given another kidney.
Currently, we are awaiting approval from Georgia Regents in Augusta, Georgia to be put back on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry as a candidate for transplantation. Although I will not have a concrete answer for 6-8 weeks, I have a great feeling that we have found an excellent team to assist in our next transplant.
In the meantime, my wife and I are working to become advocates toward organ donor awareness. This web page is only the beginning to the footprint that we hope to leave as a reminder for the extreme need of organ donors; not only for us but others across the country that is experiencing similar endeavors. Regardless of the organ needed for an individual's quality of life, there is a painstakingly higher demand than supply. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 18 people die each day waiting for an organ.
Right now, we are doing fundraisers to raise money for my future transplant. These fundraisers will assist in co-pays, prescriptions, travel and lodging. Ultimately, our goal is to expand this page into a foundation that allows us to pay forward the selfless help that has been extended to me since my diagnosis.
I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to all of my family, friends, and community members that have prayed and supported us over the past couple of years.
I'd also like to give a special thank you to my sister Becky and her family for all the sacrifices that she, her husband and four children had to make. Though the outcome is not what we all were hoping and praying for, she still put her own life at risk to extend mine; and for that I am forever grateful.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Organizer
Sarah R. Brausch
Organizer
Kingsland, GA
