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L.J. Frink/News-Herald File Photo. Danette Stenger had to wait nearly three years before getting a kidney transplant. Her case illustrates how difficult it can be to get an organ transplant, a problem exacerbated by a shortage of suitable organ donors.

Waiting is the hardest part
Woman’s case illustrates difficulty of getting an organ transplant

By STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Sunday, March 23, 2008 10:25 PM MST

For Danette Stenger, the long, agonizing wait is over.

The Lake Havasu City woman had a kidney transplant last month, nearly three years after first being placed on a waiting list. Her case illustrates how difficult it can be to get an organ transplant, a problem exacerbated by a shortage of suitable organ donors, health experts say.

Stenger, 40, has had a chronic bladder infection since birth. Over the years, bacteria from the infection have caused severe kidney damage. She had been on dialysis since 2003, yet toxins continued to build up in her system. Worst of all, she didn’t feel any healthier after dialysis.

Stenger said her only hope was a kidney transplant. Before her surgery on Feb. 28, she was one of an estimated 93,000 Americans waiting for an organ transplant. The wait can be lengthy, sometimes fatal. Some, like Stenger, have trouble just getting on a waiting list.

About 68,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney transplant and about 17,000 for a liver. The wait is extensive. At Manhattan’s Mount Sinai Hospital, 69 percent of patients who need a liver transplant have to wait three years or more.

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Reader Comments

LIFEGOESON wrote on Mar 26, 2008 11:38 AM:

" I wish this woman and all transplant patients the very best. "

Mom of Transplant Patient wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:14 PM:

" There are many factors involved with how long a person waits for an donor organ. My daughter received a liver transplant last summer. She received 3 phone calls with a liver available in 1 week. It took 2 days on the list for the first liver, however she was not stable enough to survive the surgery so we had to pass on that one. Then 4 days later she received another one. That turned out to be too big. Then the next day she received yet another one and had her surgery. The 3rd time is a charm!
She was the 300th liver transplant for Banner Good Sam Hosp. in Phoenix. We were very lucky. We tried to raise awareness then but this newspaper was not interested. I am glad they finally stepped up to the plate. "

Neil Gilmartin wrote on Mar 24, 2008 3:19 AM:

" Organ and tissue donors leave a miraculous legacy. They are living proof that death can bring life, that sorrow can turn to hope, and that a terrible loss can become the greatest gift of all. Every day they lead us on a journey of hope, renewal, and transformation.
~ National Organ Donors Memorial
o Every day 19 people die waiting for transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs.
o Nearly 100,000 people in the United States are currently waiting for an organ transplant, including over 2500 who are under 17 years old!
o Every 12 minutes a new name is added to the nation’s transplant waiting list

A recent survey of Americans showed 90% support organ donation but only 30% said they knew the essential steps to take to be a donor. The vast majority of us have not indicated our wishes about donation. More than 95% of families would consent to organ donation if they knew the wishes of their loved one, while less than half would be likely to donate a family member’s organs without a previous discussion. Please decide today and make your wishes known about organ donation. One organ donor can save or enhance the lives of as many as 50 people

How to Donate
Almost anyone 18 years or older can list to donate organs, regardless of their health, just follow these steps:
o Put your decision in writing. Log on to www.shareyourlife.org for more information. There you can download a brochure or an organ donor card.
o Tell your family what you want to do. Making your loved ones aware of your intention to donate your organs will help them honor your request in the event of your death. They will be asked for consent, even if you have a signed donor card. The Donate Life website (www.shareyourlife.org) has suggestions on how to tell your family you want to donate your organs.

Learn more by reading Myths and Facts about Donation at: www.organdonor.gov
"

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