Transplantation: A Patient’s Perspective

PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2026

Your scribe is a native Missourian who grew up outside of Kansas City in Raytown.

I’m a blood-cancer survivor, kidney-transplant recipient, chair of the Denver host committee for the 2026 Transplant Games of America and passionate advocate for awakening America to its growing end-stage renal crisis. A long-time Denver TV personality and community advocate, I knew little before being diagnosed three years ago with amyloidosis, a rare and incurable disease that destroyed my kidneys.

Chain a writer and author to a dialysis machine three times a week? Four hours each time? A Mizzou-educated journalist began to dig into the facts. They’re alarming. 

Roughly 120,000 Americans sit on trans-plant lists; 85 percent of those need a kidney. It’s the elephant in the room in American health care. As a nation, we see only about 35,000 kidney donations per year, most from deceased donors. The problem is getting worse. Today in America, 550,000 people are on dialysis. That number is expected to zoom to a million within the next decade. Transplant lists continue to grow and more will perish while languishing on machines that are doing work their kidneys cannot.

Another troubling trend? Kidney disease disproportionately affects communities of color. I know first hand from nine months of hemodialysis. The other six people present for our thrice-weekly treatments? All of color and financially challenged.

The Underlying Causes

There are a handful of reasons for this rising American health issue. Genetics, distrust, access, unhealthy diets and lack of exercise leading to increased levels of high blood pressure, diabetes and excessive weight. A terrible trio for kidneys.

It’s also very expensive. The federal government, via Medicaid and Medicare, pays the bill for end-stage renal disease and dialysis required to stay alive. The average cost per dialysis patient? $300,000. I’m not a math whiz, but I know $300,000 x 500,000 is a big number.

America needs to get healthier. It starts with education about organ donation and wellness. Which sparks thoughts of John Sweeney, subject of the accompanying Q&A interview on the subsequent pages. The 69-year-old recently shared his spare kidney at AdventHealth Porter in Denver. He’s an angel in someone’s midst.

The father of four and your scribe have known each other for decades: High school athletic rivals, college fraternity brothers and comrades cut from the same cloth. Once Victory Productions, based upon my experience, launched Drive for Five and began raising awareness to organ donation and wellness? The Rockhurst High School graduate was intrigued.

The successful commercial real-estate veteran persevered through much testing at multiple transplant centers. It’s not easy to donate. The gate is narrow. Advocacy at state and federal levels continues as better policies are also needed. The kidney world’s terrific trio: more organs, less disease and better policies.

It’s really simple but not easy. To combat America’s growing kidney crisis we need to increase the number of organs in play, decrease the need for dialysis and level the playing field.

Simply put, the world needs more John Sweeneys. It’s estimated there are 80 million Americans between the ages of 50 and 70. Most of them are past child-rearing years and have been relatively healthy, believe in community service and gaze around in these uncertain times and wonder, “What can I do to help?”

Get tested. Don’t think you’re too old.  There are three fabulous reasons:

1. The testing is free. The federal government realizes we have a growing kidney-disease crisis and is trying to incentivize Americans to act.

2. The million-dollar checkup, even if you decide not to donate, may reveal an unknown illness or disease. The life you save might be your own.

3. Live donors receive a voucher reserved for themselves or family members. It’s basically a life-insurance policy. One donation could save two lives!

America can fight back against this growing kidney crisis. Education is key. And more generous souls em-ulating John Sweeney’s spirit would be nice, as well.