"After exactly 14 months of dialysis, the longed-for phone call finally came."

Dont'take your organs to heaven - heaven knows we need them here

I was sitting on my five-year-old sister's blue sofa when our parents entered the room with serious looks on their faces. I immediately realized that something must have happened. I've had kidney disease since birth. My parents told me on that summer day in 2002 that I would have to have dialysis, my blood values had deteriorated further and my father, who actually wanted to donate one of his kidneys to me, was unfortunately ruled out as a donor during the tests. My mother had already donated a kidney to my sister in 2000 and was therefore also not considered as a donor. I was eight years old at the time. During an operation, a catheter was placed in my abdomen, through which my mother then carried out peritoneal dialysis every four hours during the day. There was a 12-hour break at night. My life changed a lot. Meeting friends and children's birthday parties were always tied to dialysis times. I had to adhere to strict eating and behavioral rules. After exactly 14 months of dialysis, I finally got the call I had been waiting for. There was an organ offer for me. So I packed the most important things in my suitcase as quickly as possible and went to Hannover Medical School. On September 19, 2003, I underwent a successful kidney transplant in a five-hour operation.

"For me as a primary school child, life was severely restricted."

It was over 16 years ago and I still have a lump in my throat when I think back to the time of dialysis. For me as a primary school child, life was severely restricted, I wasn't allowed to take part in sports lessons, didn't travel with my classmates on the school bus, wasn't allowed to eat chocolate or chips. I was constantly tired and had high blood pressure. Dialysis only provides a makeshift detoxification of the body, any strength that children need to "thrive" is missing.

"I am now 26 years old, I really enjoy my work as a social assistant, I have great friends and a supportive family."

After the transplant, the greatest thing for me was that I was allowed to drink cocoa without having to take huge pills. Of course, not everything was rosy after the transplant, but my quality of life has improved considerably. I am still chronically ill and have to take medication every day to suppress my immune system so that the donated organ is not rejected. The suppressed immune system in turn makes me susceptible to pathogens, including the new coronavirus. And as is so often the case with medication, it has strong side effects. Unfortunately, a donated organ doesn't last forever; on average, a transplanted kidney lasts 15 years. And then what? I am now 26 years old, I really enjoy my work as a social assistant, I have great friends and a supportive family. But what happens when the organ stops doing its job? Then I will have to go back on dialysis and wait 6 to 8 years until a suitable kidney is found via Eurotransplant. Fortunately, in the case of kidney disease, there is the option of replacement therapy through dialysis. Unfortunately, this is not possible for most other organs and patients die "on the waiting list".

"It's important to me that everyone finds their own point of view on organ donation."

Organ donation is a very personal topic for me because it always involves death. People who are involved in organ donation also have to come to terms with their own death or the death of relatives. The fact that brain death is determined by two physicians helps me here. After brain death, there is no way back to life. Why should I keep my organs if they are no longer of any use to me? For me as a devout Christian, the willingness to donate organs is an act of charity.

It is important to me that everyone finds their own point of view on the subject of organ donation. Then you should talk to family and friends about the decision and fill out an organ donor card. This can also be used to rule out organ donation, saving your loved ones from having to make a difficult decision in a sad situation.