Linda Powell is a mother, sister, aunt, and friend to many.  She has always lived life to the fullest, enjoying travel with family and friends, concerts, and the outdoors. But Linda’s battle with kidney disease is changing her life.

Linda was diagnosed with IGA Nephropathy, also known Berger’s disease, a progressive disease that causes kidney failure. Linda has lived with the disease for over ten years, and she’s fought this battle quietly with only close friends and family aware of her condition. It’s now time to take her story public, because Linda needs a kidney transplant and a living kidney donor. Unfortunately, no one in Linda’s immediate family or circle of friends is a candidate to be a donor. So, Linda is reaching out in hopes that a casual acquaintance or kind stranger will step up to donate.

Linda has been evaluated by the transplant team at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem, NC, and is an excellent candidate for a transplant. Ideally, her medical team would like her to find a living donor which provides the highest success rate and on average, longer life expectancy. Other options include receiving a kidney from a deceased donor or undergoing dialysis.

If you might be interested in being a donor for Linda or any of the other nearly 90,000 people in the US awaiting a kidney transplant, the initial screening process is simple.

1. Match the recipient’s blood type – Linda needs TYPE O (can be positive or negative).
2. Be in generally good health.
3. Factors that may exclude a donor:  high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.

There is a second option if you’re interested in donating but your blood type does not match Linda’s. It is called the Paired Kidney Donation. A paired kidney exchange, also known as a “kidney swap” occurs when a living kidney donor is incompatible with their recipient, but does match another person on the waitlist. Two live donor transplants would occur. In essence, you donate on Linda’s behalf to another recipient, and Linda receives a kidney from the other recipient’s – non-matching – donor. Essentially, you can save TWO lives!

You may have a lot of questions, so please go to the Donor Info tab for more information. You can also email Linda directly or contact the Living Donor Coordinator at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist (see Contact tab).