With a B-positive blood type, Eric James tries to make it a personal motto too while battling piling medical concerns, including needing a kidney.
The Victoria resident recently found his voice in his fifth year of energy-draining dialysis treatments.
sa国际传媒淲e know that five donors come forward when theysa国际传媒檙e able to put a face and a name to a story,sa国际传媒� James told Black Press Media. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 willing to share my story, Isa国际传媒檓 willing to be open sa国际传媒� and Isa国际传媒檓 not just by myself. Isa国际传媒檓 pointing to the group of people who are with me, who are in the same boat.sa国际传媒�
I need a kidney transplant. I've been on dialysis for coming up on 5 years now and it is all starting to catch up to me. Please take some time to read this and share if you know anyone who would be interested.
sa国际传媒� Eric James (@ejamesYYJ)
The last couple of weeks in particular have been rough health-wise. Nearly five years of dialysis is likely the root cause of his recent mild congestive heart failure. That was the final push to finally start speaking openly and publicly about donation sa国际传媒� to actively recruit.
sa国际传媒淚t feels weird asking someone for money, let alone a piece of themselves,sa国际传媒� he admitted.
James posted a proposition on social media Monday (Nov. 21), calling for anyone interested in live donation to contact him for more information. By Wednesday he had received and responded to dozens of messages, emails and notes of support. It didnsa国际传媒檛 surprise him.
sa国际传媒淥ne of the things I lack is a platform to share my message. I already know the people of Victoria are altruistic and usually aware of the world around them,sa国际传媒� he said.
He knew Greater Victoria residents would hear him and respond. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 how our city is.sa国际传媒�
For those who ask, he shares information from BC Transplant or gives them the living donor program phone number (1-877-922-9822) at St. Paulsa国际传媒檚 Hospital, one of two adult kidney transplant centres in the province.
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Living donors are often related to the recipient, but they donsa国际传媒檛 have to be, which is good for James. His kidney disease is hereditary. A donor can also be a friend or a member of the community.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 much more viable and yousa国际传媒檙e better able to plan a little bit better,sa国际传媒� James explained of living donations.
sa国际传媒淚 can only have one kidney,sa国际传媒� he noted. sa国际传媒淗opefully one of these people will be the one that helps me out. But my story is the same as many on the dialysis unit who just have different faces and different names.sa国际传媒�
The former Langford resident moved closer to Royal Jubilee Hospital in 2019, as dialysis takes a toll and the travel became daunting.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not ideal but it is keeping me alive,sa国际传媒� he said.
He attends three days a week and feels fortunate the Victoria hospital has a nocturnal program. He starts dialysis at 10 p.m. and finishes at 6 a.m.
sa国际传媒淢ost people do the four, three-hour runs, during the day,sa国际传媒� he said, noting a profound impact on life, work, education and family life.
sa国际传媒淭here are some misconceptions that you come out feeling great sa国际传媒� most days you feel OK. Some days you feel absolutely terrible,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淵ousa国际传媒檙e always grateful but itsa国际传媒檚 not a solution.sa国际传媒�
Learn more at or email James at ejamesYYJ@gmail.com.
christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca
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