Local Kidney Walk coordinator, Paul Duperron, who has been waiting for a kidney for the last four and a half years got the call he'd been hoping for on Sept. 7.
Duperron was air ambulanced out of Prince George to Vancouver General Hospital that night and operated on Thursday morning. The next day Duperron was doing fine.
Duperron was tending to the last minute details of the local Kidney Walk to be held Sunday, Sept. 25 when he got the good news.
"I didn't think it would come now," said Duperron, who is now off dialysis.
Duperron is so thankful to the organ donor who gave him his new kidney, he said in a recent press release.
Duperron wishes he could also be in Prince George to finish his commitment to the Kidney Walk. "I guess the timing is perfect though, seeing as the walk's goal is to encourage more people to register as organ donors."
Duperron was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 1985 and has been dialyzing for the past four and a half years. In order to free up his time during the day, Duperron would spend more than four hours during the evening three times a week at the dialysis unit.
"I really feel like the message of Kidney Walks has paid off for me and I hope that lots of people will register to be organ donors so that many more kidney patients will discover the whole new lease on life that I have," said Duperron.
For details about the Prince George Kidney Walk, visit www.princegeorgekidneywalk.ca.
To register to be an organ donor, visit www.transplant.bc.ca.
