My name is Roderick Steward. My friends over the years know me as BoBo, Beau, or Rod. I am 59 years old and have lived in Houston all of my life. I am a retired educator, having spent over 30 years in the classroom and later as an administrator. I made the difficult decision to retire early because I could not dedicate the time and energy required to help my students and staff excel because of my kidney disease.
I have seen a kidney doctor for over 20 years now. I started peritoneal dialysis at home in 2019 and moved to in-center hemodialysis in 2021, after I got an infection. I also had my right kidney removed during these treatments in 2020 because of cancer. Thankfully, the tumor was limited to that right kidney. My daily struggles include a strict diet (I have learned a lot about potassium and phosphorus in foods) and the most important struggle, the amount of fluids I can drink on a daily basis. Too much fluid, low blood pressure and cramping can result during my dialysis treatment. I have been approved to receive a kidney and I am waiting for a donor kidney to become available.
After the loss of my two brothers (2020 and 2022), my mom (2007), and my paternal grandfather (1967) to complications from kidney disease, I completed a genetic test in September, 2022, to determine the underlining cause of my kidney disease. The doctor could not say with 100% certainty, but she thought there was a high probability of a family connection. With this information and my daily four hours of treatment (Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday), I am eagerly awaiting a kidney transplant.
Some of you, my family and friends, have quietly asked how you can help me. I have insurance, but there are many things my insurance won’t cover, for example post-transplant medications, housing, transportation expenses, my caregiver expenses, and insurance premiums. I am on transplant lists in Houston, Texas and Little Rock, Arkansas. I will be raising money through the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with my Kidney Transplant. I have chosen to fundraise with HelpHopeLive in part because donations are tax deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses.
When it is my time to receive a kidney, I would like get back to spending more quality time away from home with family and friends and also resuming a few days on a few golf courses. (I need to retake lessons).
