Laura Slusser's Make-A-Wish

Hello, Rachel. My name's Laura Slusser, and more than anything, I want to use my Make-A-Wish to come on your show, because I have a message I want to get out to the world.

When I was eight years old, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes is a condition you can live with, but the insulin shots and finger pokes are so pervasive that it affects pretty much every aspect of your life. The worst part, though, is the constant fear of your blood sugar going low. All you have to do is mess up your calculations once, and you could go into a coma and die.

And then, two years later, out of the blue, my kidneys failed. Now, that sounds really serious, but most people don't know what it really means. Three days a week, for six months, I had to spend four hours at the hospital to have my blood filtered via hemodialysis. I was on a highly restricted diet and I had a catheter permanently implanted in my neck, so I couldn't shower or get it wet. My doctors told me that I would need a kidney transplant. But the wonderful thing was that because I would need a kidney transplant, I would be eligible for a pancreas transplant too, which would cure me of diabetes.

And, after six month of dialysis, the organs finally became available, and I got my transplant. And for the past five years since, I've been completely free of insulin shots and dialysis.

But it wasn't long after I learned that Charlie, a friend who had been on dialysis with me, had died waiting for her kidney. And it makes me wonder: if only more people knew about organ donation--if more people just checked that little box on their driver's licenses--would Charlie still be alive today? I think she would.

And I began to realize--I'm lucky. I'm incredibly lucky. Not just because I got a pancreas, but because I got any organs at all. There are so many other people out there, like Charlie, who are dying now because of the scarcity of organs. Even worse, there are people who can't afford transplants, because of America's health insurance system. The atrocious Arizona law that rations organ transplants is only the tip of the iceberg.

I believe that given correct, accurate information, people will make the right decisions. I want to find a publisher for a book I've written about my hardships, because it seems like no one realizes what an impact it has to become an organ donor. What I wish for, more than anything, is to spread awareness about organ donation, and I'm hoping you can help me do it.

I watch your show almost every day, and I admire you more than just about anyone else in the world. You bring the most important issues to light. You attack corruption and big business, and check your facts more than anyone else. And I especially love your moment of geek, because I love science, and I'm kind of a geek too.

A year or two ago, a guy came in to my health class to convince people to become organ donors. He showed us pictures of rotting livers and described the exact procedure for removing eyeballs from corpses. One girl whispered to me: "I'm never becoming an organ donor." But when I got up and told my story, I think I changed everyone's minds.

The day I got my transplant was the happiest day of my life. I want that same reality for every organ patient and diabetic everywhere. And I will never stop trying to get that for them until it happens. And if people just knew how much it benefits to become an organ donor, we'd be one huge step closer.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Make-A-Wish
• Laura
• Slusser
• Diabetes
• kidney
• transplant
• organ
• donation
• health
• insurance

[MarkSlusser]

Yes. Laura was able to receive a new pancreas because she went into kidney failure and needed a new kidney as well. My heart goes out to you because, as Laura's father, I know how hard it is to live with this disease. She has been free of insulin shots and kidney dialysis for over six years now. I truly believe the cure for you and so many others is on the way though. The research that is being done is amazing. Very best of luck to you!

[treehugginjenjen]

Is this for real? You were cured from diabetes? i find this hard to believe,have had type I for 30 yrs. And still truckin with a flat tire.