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"He Can Have Mine."...

Sunday, 16 April 2017 05:10

ED. Though most of us know this story, this post retells it in a beautiful way.

By Nicole Leatherman (blogs.davita.com)

From his school days to his adult years, Chris Zitur hardly ever got sick. He filled his 20s with friends, work and sports. He played kickball two days a week in the summer and hockey two days a week in the winter, and went skiing and hiking on the weekends.

But last year at age 29, the Denver resident started to feel off. He was chronically tired, his stomach was upset and he was frequently sick, so he went to the doctor. He learned through blood and urine tests that his glomerular filtration rate (GFR)—the overall index of kidney function—was high and he had protein in his urine. His kidneys were failing.

“After I was referred to kidney specialist, they suggested right away that I should get my name on the wait list for a kidney transplant,” said Chris, who works in the construction industry....

And so he did. His dad, brothers and mother, Cheryl Zitur, tested positive as matches. And on June 30, 2016, at age 30, Chris received a kidney from Cheryl. The procedure not only provided Chris with a functioning kidney, but also a drive to share his transplant story and inspire others to either ask their doctor about getting added to the transplant list or to register as a donor—especially now during National Donate Life Month. Cheryl joins her son on this mission.

“When I first learned he needed a kidney, my response was, ‘He can have mine,’” said Cheryl, a personal trainer and triathlon coach who lives in Corcoran, Minnesota.  READ MORE