Former 亚洲天堂 Lake resident Shane Robertson didn鈥檛 have to look too far to find the perfect kidney match - his girlfriend.

Robertson found out last Christmas that he had a condition called Berger鈥檚 disease. The doctors told him he had anywhere from two weeks to two years to live unless he received a kidney transplant.

鈥淚t鈥檚 more comforting knowing that it鈥檚 coming from her,鈥� said Robertson. 鈥淚t definitely brings us closer together, there鈥檚 no doubt about that.鈥�

The couple has been together for five years, but have known each other for eight. His girlfriend, Anita Tomasello, said on Facebook that she was 鈥渂lessed and honoured鈥� to be a match.

鈥淲atching the man I love battle end stage kidney disease and taking part in the living kidney donor program has been such a humbling experience,鈥� she said.

They are now waiting for final medical clearances before the transplant can take place in the fall. After the transplant, Robertson will be required to stay close to the hospital in Vancouver for a month. And after that period, he will still need to visit the hospital regularly for a few weeks. Tomasello鈥檚 recovery time, on the other hand, will be six to eight weeks.

鈥淲e鈥檒l find a hotel that鈥檚 right next to the hospital, and we鈥檒l just stay at that hotel together,鈥� said Robertson.

A Go Fund Me page - gofundme.com/shanerobertson - has been set up to help the couple cover the expenses.

鈥淚鈥檝e been out of work since December, and I鈥檓 trying to pull the money together so that I can stay right next to the hospital, and I have my mortgage and bills on top of that,鈥� he explained.

Robertson, 44, moved to 亚洲天堂 Lake when he was nine years old and lived in town until he was 35. While living in 亚洲天堂 Lake, he worked as a maintenance worker for the Lakes District Hospital and then for the Flying Dutchman Service. He now lives in Kamloops.

Robertson said the hardest part about this disease has been the 鈥渦nknowns.鈥�

鈥淭he whole not knowing while we wait, that鈥檚 probably the hardest part,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of unknowns - how long is it going to be? Is she going to be a donor? If she鈥檚 not a match, how long will it be until we find a match?鈥�

However, he says this disease has also had a silver lining.

鈥淚 learned more about myself, that鈥檚 for sure; the selfishness that I had, I鈥檝e learned to recognize it and let it go,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 one of the big things, is that you don鈥檛 really think about yourself anymore as much, you think about the people around you.鈥�

And given that some people may wait 10 or even 15 years for a kidney transplant, he said he considers himself lucky.

鈥淚t puts your challenges in perspective when you see people who are in more dire straits than you, and they are actually still relaxed and calm because they鈥檝e learned that,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 something that I鈥檝e learned too, to be a bit more relaxed.鈥�

Since the diagnosis, Robertson and his family have felt the urge to raise awareness about the need for more kidney donors.

鈥淲e鈥檇 like to encourage people to go through the process,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople are really afraid to donate, but those people, once they鈥檝e had a kidney taken from them, they will be just as healthy or healthier as people with two kidneys.鈥�

鈥淎t the very least, you鈥檙e going to find out if you have any problems with yourself because they do some rigorous medical examination, and if you are picked to be a kidney donor, you are in top notch condition,鈥� he continued.

But most importantly, Robertson added, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e saving a life.鈥�