Donate a Kidney, Save a Life

There is a reason I am writing you about my husband Stanley. It’s to let you know of his current health challenges and how you can help. We know that without sending this, someone might be interested in helping won’t have that opportunity. Friends, we are reaching out to you with the hope that you can help us share this news far and wide. Stanley is a caring person and a wonderful family man. Stanley is a provider for his family, he is a person that never missed work, and is always ready to help anyone out. Stanley has worked for the Martins IGA (now Kirby owned) for over 44 years. Stanley spends his free time cutting wood to keep our house heated during the cold winter months.

Stanley is now 62 years old, and lives in Shumway, IL. He has just learned that he’s in need of a kidney transplant, and that a living donor is his best chance tor survival. As you may not know, having kidney disease will change his life. He wants to be healthy again! He wants to enjoy life and time with his family, friends, and hobbies. He looks forward to the day that he’s not tired, unwell, and can live his life to the fullest. A kidney from a living donor can save his life.

Stanley is suffering from kidney failure due to being born with only one kidney, which may or may not have been the cause of his high blood pressure. It was not until Stanley was in his 40’s before he learned that he had been born with only one kidney. One Sunday, he said he just did not feel right and wasn’t sure what was wrong. The next morning, he got up and went to work as usual. The next day at work in September 2017, Stanley was doing his typical job which consisted of walking, bending, loading and unloading carts, pulling large pallets, and getting down on his knees to stock dairy and frozen shelves. While at work, he kept feeling dizzy when getting up and down, so he went to the pharmacy at the store. They checked his blood pressure and it was 220/110. They advised him to see a doctor ASAP, or go to the hospital. He drove himself to the doctor’s office and called me at work, which I left as soon as I heard what his blood pressure reading was! While at the doctor’s office getting his blood pressure under control, they drew some blood and put a rush on the result. We both went home for him to rest. We later got a call that they would like him to come back to the office. It was at this time that we learned that Stanley’s only kidney was starting to fail. We were given a Kidney Doctor Specialist in Springfield to see if he could help to keep Stanley’s kidney as healthy as long as possible.

Currently, Stanley’s kidney levels are like a yo-yo. He is up and down. When he is down, they are getting him ready to start dialysis, and then it seems his kidney kicks in and they go back up, and he is no longer in need of a transplant or dialysis.

Stanley has made some great changes in his life. If you knew Stanley’s parents, you would know he was brought up on meat and potatoes for just about every meal. Well, when your kidney starts to fail, they put you on a very low potassium diet and this means giving up potatoes and tomato-based sauces (like spaghetti, pizza, and yes, even ketchup). Stanley was born and raised in Strasburg, IL. He lived his whole life there and graduated fro Stew-Stras school. He married Cindy Mathis in 1980 and they have lived in Shumway, IL., where they raised their son, Mark. Stanley began his employment with Martin’s IGA in September, 1975 and is still employed there in the dairy and frozen department.

Since Stanley is signed up to be a kidney transplant recipient, we have learned that there is a long waiting line for deceased donors. We have also learned that it is more beneficial for him to get a living donor if possible, because a kidney from a living donor lasts twice as long as one from a deceased donor. Stanley is currently not on dialysis, but with his kidney functioning like a yo-yo, this could start anytime. A kidney transplant will give him his best chance of living a longer life. It would also give him more freedom and energy if he could get a transplant within the next year if someone decided to donate a kidney to him. Living donors don’t have to be biologically related to him, but their blood types would need to work well together. Stanley’s blood type is AB, so he can have a kidney from any blood type. Donors that would not be a considered a good live organ donation person would be anyone with any of the following: uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, cardiac conditions, cancer, HIV, drug users, or over the age of 70.

Over time with Stanley’s current condition, he has had to make many alterations to his normal routine. He is tired and fatigued more than normal. He just doesn’t seem to trust himself to do certain things now, like back in the day, he would not have given it a thought. Although Stanley faithfully shows up for work everyday he is scheduled, he comes home tired some days, and needs to take a nap.

Stanley needs a new kidney, and we hope you will consider being tested to be a done. I know this is a huge request to ask of anyone. But I’m making this request on behalf of my husband, who devotes his everyday life to his family, friends, and work.

If you can help, please do. If you know anyone who might be able to help, please forward this on. Forwarding this to your family, friends, work place, school, and congregation, or any other communities you belong to, it would be most gratefully appreciated. If you think you may be interested in helping Stanley, you can get your blood tested or donate to find out your blood type. The good news is Stanley has AB blood, and can accept any blood type. If you would like to learn more about living kidney donation, please feel free to call me at 217-821-5893, after 4pm and on weekends. I want to be as helpful as possible. You can also visit www.kidneytransplant.org to learn more about living kidney donation. If you are interested in considering a living kidney donation, you can visit Springfield Memorial Hospital Kidney Transplant Service website at www.memorialmedical.com/services/transplant-service and click on the transplant service tab, then the living donation tab, to see if you could be able to start the living donor evaluation process.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Cindy Mathis

Family and friends of Stanley Mathis are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with transplantation.

Stanley has chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button.

For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.

Thank you for your support!