We lift up prayers for David A., part of the PCO family who is eligible to receive a kidney transplant in the next year. He is raising awareness about the process of kidney donation. If you would like to learn more about his journey and how you can support David and others who need kidneys, please read the message below.
September 2025
Dear Family & Friends,
As many of you know, I have kidney disease and my working kidney has failed. In order for me to have freedom, energy, and a chance at a long life, I will require a transplant. While I am grateful to have dialysis to keep me alive for the time being, the procedure drains me of time and energy, as well as causes its own unique health challenges.
I am now eligible to receive a transplant within the next year if I can find someone who is willing to donate. A living donor doesn’t need to be biologically related to me, and our blood types don’t need to match. Living donors are generally only ineligible due to a select few conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney problems of their own.
Due to this urgent circumstance, I am asking for your help to spread the word. If you can spare the time, please go to www.exploretransplant.org to learn how you can help, as well as about the advances in medicine that have made kidney donation safe and effective. My hope is that enough of you will share my need for a living donor with your friends and family, so that perhaps a kind soul will make the incredibly generous decision to donate.
Finally, if you feel called to do so, you are invited to consider becoming a living donor yourself. I know that this is a personal decision, and it isn’t right for everyone. If you are open to learning more about the process, the website above features several donor testimonies and the enormous impacts their donations have made. For even more information about living donation, I invite you to contact the University of Michigan Living Kidney Donor Coordinator at 800-333-9013 or to visit to the sites below.
I truly thank you all for sharing this vital information!
Websites (the first is an overview; the second is more specific information for potential donors):
www.uofmhealth.org/medical-services/transplant;
https://umichumhs.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4YiUs39kUHCjYbk?Q_CHL=qr
Email: TXP-Donors@med.umich.edu
With Hope and Thanks,
David D. Mercado-Allende (Hoekstra)