Massapequa woman turns to public in search for new kidney
A Massapequa woman whose transplanted kidney is failing is turning to the public for help finding a living donor and avoiding a potentially yearslong wait for a deceased donor kidney.
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A Massapequa woman is asking the public for help in her search for a new kidney as she faces the possibility of another long wait for a transplant.
Caryn Berge says she is in renal failure and needs a living kidney donor. Her sister previously donated a kidney to her in 2019, after Berge was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and needed a transplant.
“I said to my sister, what am I going to do? She said I will donate a kidney to you and thankfully, she did that.”
Berge says the kidney gave her another chance, but that transplant was complicated by a serious health battle several years later.
In 2022, Berge developed sepsis following a hospital stay for pneumonia that left her on a ventilator. She says her doctor believes the infection ultimately contributed to the donated kidney beginning to fail.
“My doctor told me in the last couple of months I needed to go back on the transplant list and suggested I look for living donors. That's why I started this journey.”
Berge says she has already completed the necessary testing for a transplant and is now focused on finding someone willing to donate.
She says a living donor could help her avoid dialysis and potentially receive a transplant much sooner. Berge estimates she could face a five-to-seven-year wait for a kidney from a deceased donor.
“If I was able to get a living donor, I would possibly not need to do dialysis," Berge said. "I've already done all of my tests for the transplant. It would just be a matter of the person that wants to donate.”
Berge says the main requirement for someone considering becoming a donor is being in good health.
She says finding a donor would give her a new chance at living the life she wants to have.
“I'm looking forward to going back to work. Doing something more with my life. Spending more time with my family, that's important to me. Being able to see my great nieces and nephews grow up.”
Anyone interested in donating can click here or reach out to Caryn at CarynNeedsAKidney@gmail.com
