A date has been set for a former 亚洲天堂 Laker to receive a new kidney.
Shane Robertson, who found out last Christmas that he had a condition called Berger鈥檚 disease, will receive a kidney from his girlfriend Anita Tomasello on Oct. 2, 2017.
When asked how he was feeling, Robertson said he had mixed emotions.
鈥淵ou know that everything is going to be fine, but your brain always wants to tell you that something may go wrong, that鈥檚 how the brain works, it always wants to be afraid, but we鈥檙e both super excited and thrilled about it.鈥�
Robertson said he feels lucky since the majority of people with kidney diseases don鈥檛 normally receive a new kidney within a year of diagnosis.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very lucky in that regard,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e wanted it to happen as soon as possible, but it鈥檚 definitely earlier than we figured it was going to be.鈥�
鈥淭here are people who could be helped but aren鈥檛 getting help - either their friends and families aren鈥檛 matches to them, so they鈥檙e just waiting, and sometimes they get too sick and can鈥檛 even receive kidneys anymore,鈥� he continued. 鈥淚 was lucky enough that mine was on my door step.鈥�
Robertson found out that his girlfriend was a donor match earlier this summer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more comforting knowing that it鈥檚 coming from her; it definitely brings us closer together, there鈥檚 no doubt about that.鈥�
Since the diagnosis, the couple has been talking to the media as much as they can to raise awareness about living organ donation.
鈥淚 never knew anything about kidney disease until it happened to me,鈥� said Robertson. 鈥淭hen once it happens, you delve into that whole universe and your eyes get opened.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of sick people out there, and there鈥檚 not a lot of help for them,鈥� he continued. 鈥淵ou meet these people first hand; you get to seem them face to face and a lot of people can鈥檛 get help; it really breaks your heart to see that.鈥�
Robertson said the support that he鈥檚 received from family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers so far has been incredible.
鈥淚t鈥檚 coming from strangers too, people we don鈥檛 know or never heard of,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of support coming from those people and that鈥檚 absolutely amazing.鈥�
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 will be six to eight weeks.
A Go Fund Me page - gofundme.com/shanerobertson - has been set up to help the couple cover the expenses.
For more information about living organ donation, visit http://www.transplant.bc.ca/health-info/organ-donation/living-donation.
