March is National Kidney Month, and for Kendon and Shane, this month serves as a time to celebrate their kidney transplant and bring awareness to kidney health.
During the live webinar, 10 Things I Wish I Had Known Before and After My Kidney Transplant, hear from two transplant recipients as they share what they wish they had known before transplant and all the lessons they’ve learned after transplant.
Shane Moore
Kidney Transplant Recipient
At 19 years old, Shane suffered permanent kidney damage from a car accident and woke up from emergency surgery on dialysis. After 14 years of chronic kidney disease, Shane went back on dialysis and eventually received a successful kidney transplant from a good friend named Joey. Later on, Shane asked for donor-derived cell-free DNA testing on a whim, which detected antibody-mediated rejection. Shane underwent treatment for rejection twice, but suffered side effects. As a heart transplant coordinator and kidney transplant recipient, Shane now uses OmniGraf for monitoring.
Kendon Holdaway
Kidney Transplant Recipient
Kendon Holdaway is a kidney transplant recipient who had his mother as a living donor. His family, including his father and siblings, served as caregivers during the experience. Kendon’s symptoms began in 2012 when he was 14, and he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. His kidney function slowly deteriorated over time, and he underwent transplant surgery in September 2018.
Michelle Recendez
Moderator
Michelle Recendez, MSW, LCSW, CCTSW lives in Clarendon Hills, IL, a suburb of Chicago. She grew up in Green Bay, WI, attended St. Mary’s College in Indiana, and moved to Chicago, to pursue her graduate degree at Loyola University. Michelle has worked as an LCSW in Kidney and Liver Transplant in Chicago and New York City hospitals for over 10 years, and more recently in the transplant biotech industry.