Dearest Gloucester/Cape Ann Friends and Family
Back in February 2023 when we were all told our 25 year old son Greer Viau would need a kidney transplant my immediate response to his medical team was “I’m his mother, take my kidney right now, operate NOW”. The response was “It doesn’t work that way”. We were told he was on a health journey for the rest of his life and that the HOPE would be with Greer being so young, to receive a living kidney donor as living kidneys can last considerably longer, perhaps 20-30 years before he would need another transplant. In addition the wait for a deceased kidney can be 7-10+ years. It was all shocking and mind blowing for all of us. We were guided by Brigham and Women’s Transplant Program which participates in the National Kidney Registry. I was guided how to create Greer’s microsite page that would share Greer’s story/condition and how to help. It was up to us as a family to promote that Donorship awareness to encourage individuals to come forward on Greers page to see if they would/could be medically be evaluated to donate. Potential donors can live anywhere. You can test in your own state. Everyone can live with one kidney. My husband was eliminated for evaluation due to diabetes. They do not want our other son at this time because they have no idea why Greer developed this condition and due to their genetic connection, they cannot say our younger son Dylan couldn’t also develop this so they want to watch him. Hopefully he stays healthy and he could be Greers next donor 20 or so years from now. I myself immediately began the evaluation totally expecting to be Greers donor. After all, of course, I’m his mother. Two months into my evaluation I was eliminated. It was devastating….just a gut wrenching day when I received the news.
I receive a dashboard weekly showing how many to date have started the evaluation process. Over 4000 people have visited his site. Approximately 60 individuals to date have gone into the registration process. It can take 2-4 months for a person to be evaluated. It is a process beginning with a medical questionnaire all applicants start with. I have been told more than three quarters of that 60 have been eliminated for many various reasons since this all began. I am told some are still in the que being “worked up” for eval. So far no one is a match nor have we been told anyone has banked a kidney in his name.
The hope is a direct match. If no one is a direct match yet still has a healthy & viable kidney to donate, they can donate “in Greers name” and someone’s life will be saved and then the registry will in fact find Greer a kidney. Essentially it is banking a kidney, that voucher will allow Greer to then receive one. Typically this happens within a couple of months.
Donor testing takes place on their time frame when a person is available for the various tests. There is nothing invasive in this evaluation. Expenses are through Greers insurance. With each portion of evaluation, applicants will be notified if they are eligible to move forward. Applicants will also be contacted by a Donor Mentor who also was a donor to answer questions and be of support.
A Donor will have a short hospital stay, upon release, rest, no lifting over 20 pounds for several weeks. No Nsaids are allowed again after surgery. Many return to work very soon after. The donor mentor will provide much insight to that. The great thing is YOU HAVE SHARED YOUR SPARE & SAVED A LIFE. Greer is currently on 13 hours of Peritoneal Home Dialysis every single night. Please consider our 25 year old son Greer Viau. His card is pictured in this post also you can go to www.nkr.org/ATE793 PLEASE SHARE his info.
While we wait & hope for a living kidney donor. In the meantime, Greer would love to work contract work part time @ 20-25 hours a week. He has a degree in Computer Science with a concentration in A.I. and a minor in Math. He has a YouTube channel under his name with some videos of independent work he’s done. For his senior project in college he designed his own self driving car. His job prior to this was with a robotics group that worked on drone systems that surveyed land areas for percable water/agricultural systems and so forth. If anyone needs or know anyone who could use his creative talents, please message me/email. hwsdance@gmail.com
Thank you
The Viau Family
Could you be the HOPE to Save a Life
Good Morning Gloucester 