A date has been set for a former Burns Laker to receive a new kidney.
Shane Robertson, who found out last Christmas that he had a condition called Berger’s disease, will receive a kidney from his girlfriend Anita Tomasello on Oct. 2, 2017.
When asked how he was feeling, Robertson said he had mixed emotions.
“You know that everything is going to be fine, but your brain always wants to tell you that something may go wrong, that’s how the brain works, it always wants to be afraid, but we’re both super excited and thrilled about it.”
Robertson said he feels lucky since the majority of people with kidney diseases don’t normally receive a new kidney within a year of diagnosis.
“We’re very lucky in that regard,” he said. “We wanted it to happen as soon as possible, but it’s definitely earlier than we figured it was going to be.”
“There are people who could be helped but aren’t getting help - either their friends and families aren’t matches to them, so they’re just waiting, and sometimes they get too sick and can’t even receive kidneys anymore,” he continued. “I was lucky enough that mine was on my door step.”
Robertson found out that his girlfriend was a donor match earlier this summer.
“It’s more comforting knowing that it’s coming from her; it definitely brings us closer together, there’s no doubt about that.”
Since the diagnosis, the couple has been talking to the media as much as they can to raise awareness about living organ donation.
“I never knew anything about kidney disease until it happened to me,” said Robertson. “Then once it happens, you delve into that whole universe and your eyes get opened.”
“There’s a lot of sick people out there, and there’s not a lot of help for them,” he continued. “You meet these people first hand; you get to seem them face to face and a lot of people can’t get help; it really breaks your heart to see that.”
Robertson said the support that he’s received from family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers so far has been incredible.
“It’s coming from strangers too, people we don’t know or never heard of,” he said. “There’s a lot of support coming from those people and that’s absolutely amazing.”
After the transplant, Robertson will be required to stay close to the hospital in Vancouver for a month. And after that period, he will still need to visit the hospital regularly for a few weeks. Tomasello’s recovery time will be six to eight weeks.
A Go Fund Me page - gofundme.com/shanerobertson - has been set up to help the couple cover the expenses.
For more information about living organ donation, visit http://www.transplant.bc.ca/health-info/organ-donation/living-donation.