My name is John Mitchell, and I need a kidney.
About 2017, I contracted Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA), also known as ANCA disease. This is an autoimmune disease of the blood whose principal effect is to damage the kidneys. The cause of this disease is unknown, and it is rare. The resulting damage from End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) was discovered in the summer of 2018 through routine bloodwork. At that point, I was placed on daily peritoneal dialysis and began the process of obtaining a kidney transplant.
After more than 4 years on dialysis, I received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor in January of 2023. I am very grateful to my donor for her tremendous compassion and generosity. Unfortunately, she apparently led a hard life, and died from a stroke in her late 40s. Consequently, the kidney was not in the best condition, and failed after less than 2 years. So now I'm back on daily peritoneal dialysis.
I'm on the waiting list for another deceased donor kidney at the Albany Med. The waiting time is about 5 years. Because the 2023 transplanted kidney lasted more than a year, my accumulated waiting time was set set back to zero when I restarted dialysis in 2025. My kidneys are now only about 5% functional. When I started this adventure in 2018, they were about 20% functional. A transplanted kidney from a living donor is an excellent alternative to one from a deceased donor. Statistically, kidneys from living donors perform better than those from deceased donors.
Originally, I didn't realize how vital the kidneys are to bodily function. In addition to producing urine, they remove unwanted minerals and chemicals from the blood, so being on dialysis requires strict adherence to a diet, because my body can’t efficiently process many things.
The kidneys produce hormones that are necessary for a healthy and productive life. They regulate several other systems in the body, including the functioning of the heart.
Dialysis and medicines mitigate some of these issues, but they are no substitute for a healthy kidney.
I’ve been a mathematics professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) since 1988. I have a wife and two young adult children, who still live nearby. I’m passionate about my work, and I hope to continue for many more years. And I’d love to be able to visit my brothers and extended family more easily.
Thanks for reading this far! If you or someone you know might be willing to donate, I'd be extremely grateful. Even if you're not a match for me, you could be a wonderful match for any of the over 100,000 people currently on the kidney transplant waiting list.
If you are interested in becoming a living kidney donor, you can reach out to the Albany Medical Center Transplant Center at 518-262-5614.
I'd encourage you to register to be an organ donor, because there are so many people in need. In NY, you can register to donate by filling in a form.