Steve's Kidney Story
Friends and Family:
​
As Steve's family, we have prepared this website for him at the recommendation of the National Kidney Foundation to reach out to those who may be interested in testing to be a donor for him.
​
Thank you so much for reading through and sharing this link with those you know.
Bob, Michael & Lisa, Kathy & Mike, David & Pam
Neice and Nephews, Matt, Sarah, Pete, Chris, Jack, Ben and Harry​​​
Quick Facts​
​
1. A donor does not need to be a direct match to Steve.
​
2. A donor does not need to live in Massachusetts to get tested.
​
3. A donor needs to have insurance, although programs are available to apply to covering costs.
​
4. Anonymous questions can be addressed at 877-644-2860 Boston MA General Transplant Program.
5. The majority of donors have experienced no post-donation complications, leading long healthy lives.
6. Donor Information
- Age 25-75
- Body mass index of 35 or less
- No history of major medical conditions: heart, lung & liver disease,
active cancer, uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure
- Testing can be done at donor’s local area hospital and lab offices
​
5. Call or email Steve or his family with any questions you want to ask privately.
Kathy 562-477-1636, kathleenjbohn@gmail.com
His Journey
Steve's struggle with his kidneys began when he was 17 years old and diagnosed with kidney disease. A year and a half ago, he was placed on the National Kidney Foundation transplant waitlist. He is now at end-stage renal disease.
​
For the majority of his life, his kidney function was enough to sustain him. Unfortunately, in the last 10 years, it has slowly declined and he is now facing a future with kidney failure. His kidneys are functioning at seventeen percent (17%.) Because of this low kidney function, complications have occurred in the last few years when needing treatment. This includes several serious infections.
​
Steve works closely with Boston Mass General in coordination with his personal physicians and also does monthly blood draws to make sure there are no changes that would affect his status on the waitlist.
How You Can Help
Share Steve's story! Our hope is that you will share Steve’s story by getting this link out to those outside our family’s circle. Simply share the link to this page.
This will help us tremendously. We understand that being a donor is not an option for the majority of individuals for different reasons. Yet, the more outreach we generate, the more opportunity there is to find several people able to be tested.
A Life Worth Living
If you know Steve, you can't help but love him. He is kind and generous and goofy. He speaks his mind and he is deeply rooted in his Catholic faith. He is adored by his nephews Matt, Peter, Chris, Jack, Ben, Harry and his neice, Sarah. They want to travel with him and call him regularly just to chat.
​
You may know, Steve has been an entrepreneur his whole life. His parents helped instill a strong work ethic which helped him throughout his life. Beginning at the early age of 10, he delivered newspapers by bike with his older brothers, at age 11 he sold household products out of a box - door to door, age 13 he started a Junior Achievement business and finally, he began his lifelong career at McDonalds at age 15 which continued until he retired as an owner operator of four restaurants after 43 years and at the age 59.
​
We are all equally proud of this philanthropic and volunteer work. Steve has helped those who came to him with earnest needs and challenges which included cars, rent, medical bills, college expenses and travel.
​
While Steve has a wonderful life full of moments with high school buddies, visits with cousins, McDonalds friends, poker nights and travel with his nephews and niece; he is just as excited about his life's work in genealogy which his extended family has come to enjoy and truly appreciate. Since he was 15 years old, he has filled his life with genealogy research on his computer or travel to met new found cousins or travel to libraries in all 50 States including Canada, Germany and Italy. He has written numerous books and articles on the D'Ambrosi and Rima Families. This has been a great gift to us all.
What Now?
1.
Log onto the National Kidney Foundation and explore what it means to be a donor.
​
​https://www.kidney.org/kidney-topics/becoming-living-donor
2.
Types of Donating possible for Steve:
1. Directed
Donation is when the donor names a specific person who will receive the kidney.
​
2. Non-Direct
A "paired exchange" allows our donor's kidney to match someone else in need and Steve would get a kidney from someone else moving him to an immediate transplant.
3.
Call Boston Massachusetts General Kidney Transplant Program. 877-644-2860
​
​Use this link to fill out the living donor questionnaire.