Kidney 4 Andy
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by
admin
Anderson Mitchell, who is suffering from chronic kidney failure and is in a race against time to save his life, is launching a campaign he hopes that can save thousands of lives locally. Whatever his outcome.
In 2016, journalist Joel Julien wrote, “The number of people in this country who have donated their kidneys after death is not enough to fill a big maxi. A big maxi taxi seats 25 passengers.” Up until that time, only 17 people in this country had to date donated their kidneys following their death, according to statistics from the National Organ Transplant Unit (NOTU). Those 17 deceased donors were able to save 29 lives.” A single deceased donor can provide relief to two persons living with Kidney failure.
The problem is that the government has stopped deceased donors since COVID in 2020 and has not started back the policy since- so even that small amount of donors cannot be tapped. The result has been dozens of people have died in that intervening time period locally because of the unavailability of organs! The unofficial statement from the Organ Transplant Unit is that they are not doing deceased donor transplants right now.
In 2016 it was estimated that approximately 500 people are in need of kidney transplants in this country. That number was expected to grow by approximately 40 every year, with a “very large number” of people dying annually while waiting. At that time one person had been on the NOTU’s waiting list for 10 years!!!
In Trinidad and Tobago, Chronic Kidney Disease is the fourth leading cause of death with an estimated 1,800 patients receiving dialysis! NOTU was established in 2006 with the aim of providing renal and corneal transplants services..
The mission of the Unit is to provide a comprehensive solution and support for two crucial sets of tasks- matching available organs to a long list of potential recipients. That mission is compromised by the shutting off of legitimate deceased donors.
Anderson who is trying to raise some Tt$600,000 for his own operation by year end is gallantly fronting a campaign to save lives whilst fighting for his own.
My name is Anderson Justin Mitchell, and I have been living with Chronic Kidney Disease caused by Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), an autoimmune condition that has severely affected my kidneys. For the past ten years, I have battled this condition, and for the last six years, I have been undergoing dialysis treatments. My condition has reached a critical point where it is now impacting my heart, making it impossible to perform a transplant surgery safely without further treatment. Despite being on some of the most expensive medications and following a strict regimen to stabilize my heart, my cardiologist has advised that I urgently pursue a kidney transplant.
Unfortunately, the opportunity to be on a waiting list at Mt. Hope to get this done is futile because since the pandemic , no transplants for persons without live donors have taken place. In the meantime I have seen friends and other patients suffering from my same ailment, die from lack of the facility for deceased donors. As a nation we must do everything in our power to save lives and have a healthy population. The government needs to immediately restart the deceased donor policy!
My quest to find my own donor so far has proven futile, even though some were deemed compatible. Lately, I was referred to a hospital in Chennai, India, but then was told that they can only take blood related donors. I have no family that can do this for me as both parents have passed and my only sibling is incompatible and I have no cousin that is available.
I need a donor urgently and also need to raise the money for my operation. I thought I had more time but my last tests have brought up my deadline considerably.
I am at wits end and don’t know what else to do. My body is getting weaker each day and I know that if I do not get a kidney transplant soon, I may not survive to see a new year. However, I am still hopeful to see the silver lining to this dark cloud. I look forward to winning both my and the larger community's battle.
Anderson’s cause has been taken up by the Freedom Project led by Shabaka Kambon, the Artists’ Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago led by Rubadiri Victor, and by fellow kidney patient and Caribbean Laureate- filmmaker Danielle Dieffenthaler- sister of Soca singer Kes Dieffenthaller. Kambon in particular wants to make the campaign to FastTrack government getting the deceased donors program back on track part of a larger campaign to decolonise the way we look at healthcare- especially the way that Caribbean governments have been dealing with chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension that are linked to certain colonial realities. Kambon believes a shift in the way health care is conceptualized could provide drastic solutions to problems that are currently costing thousands of lives annually and causing untold suffering.
Anyone wishing to contribute to Anderson’s operation and treatment can donate to his Go Fund Me Campaign
Or his bank account at:
Bank: Republic Bank Ltd.
Name: NuArtillery Ltd
Account: 290801255301
Type: Checking
Branch: Tragarete Road
For further information on the campaign call 1(868)735-0528
Or email