UPDATE: 9/23/17 From Kristian’s mother Agnes: “I want to share with all my Facebook friends. Yesterday I heard the most wonderful news!! I was told I am clear to donate, I am able to give my son my kidney. Give him another chance in life. I love you Kristian!!”

Message from Kristian 6/21/17:

Hello Facebook family and friends,

My name is Kristian C. I am a Dudley resident and I am 21 years old. I am a full time student at Southern New Hampshire University, I graduated from Shepherd Hill and also have a full time job here in Dudley/ Oxford area.

I have never done anything like this before. While I have many friends and family, I don’t know how to make friends in this venue of social media. I am a very private person, for the most part. I never envisioned nor imagined myself using social media for anything like this. I normally would not bother people to get this much attention. My story begins when I was born actually. I was born with vesicoureteral reflux. What is that you ask?

(VUR) is a condition in which urine flows retrograde, or backward, from the bladder into the ureters/kidneys. Urine normally travels in one direction (forward, or anterograde) from the kidneys to the bladder via the ureters, with a 1-way valve at the vesicoureteral (ureteral-bladder) junction preventing backflow.

VUR allows bacteria, which may be present in the urine in the bladder, to reach the kidneys. This can lead to kidney infection, scarring, and damage and sometimes kidney failure.
Unfortunately, this condition was not discovered when I was born and wasn’t corrected until significant damage to both of my kidneys sustained. At 2 years old, I got sick and doctors thought it was a virus and kept sending my mom home with me saying it will pass. Unfortunately my moms gut was telling her something is wrong. After being persistent I was brought to UMass and infection in my kidneys was discovered. This was followed by biopsy on my kidneys which determined kidney damage and many, many painful tests and ultrasounds. Thankfully I don’t remember them as I was just 2 years old. In following years I went under two major surgeries to correct the issue of the VUR. One 6 hr surgery in 1998 and another in 2006. I was told my kidneys are slowly deteriorating and that eventually I will need a kidney transplant. For 3 years I took growth hormones (injections that I had to give myself) in order to grow to my body’s potential.

Now, I find myself with a tremendous need. I am now at stage 5 of kidney failure and am in need of a transplant to survive. I consider myself very independent. I tell others that “I take care of me.” I have done that following good diet, eating very carefully, and exercising regularly whenever I could. I have been told by health care professionals that the only reason that I am not yet on dialysis, based on my latest test result, is because of the hard work and discipline. The symptoms I feel are fatigue and nausea. I used to lift weights, however I no longer have the body strength and energy to do that. I don’t have gifts to offer in return. But I can assure you that this would be the biggest gift for me to receive and care for. Aside for my mom giving birth to me this is the greatest gift on earth a person can receive – a chance to live and to continue to live in health. I promise that I will care for my new kidney in the best way possible.

If you wish to help me and become a possible kidney donor for me, please send an email to following email address bwhkidneydonorinfo@partners.org Please indicate in the email your first and last name and state that you would like to be considered to become a kidney donor for Kristian C. You will receive response shortly, within 1 business day from the living donor nurse. Again I want to Thank everyone who will consider this wonderful gift for me.

I wish that everyone reading my story is well, healthy, and happy.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart

Please share my story if you would like.