“The hardest part is the uncertainty. I still have much that I want to do with my family, my students, and my scientific work, but I do not know how quickly my kidneys will deteriorate.“

Zhong-Lin

In Need of a Kidney Donor

My name is Zhong-Lin, and I am asking for your help to save my life.

I am a professor of neural science and psychology, as well as a scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur. Much of my life has been devoted to research, teaching, and mentoring young scientists. I am married and have a son and a daughter, and my family is the center of my life. Outside science, I enjoy skiing, hiking, traveling, writing, and spending time with family and friends. I recently began writing a memoir about the people, opportunities, and unexpected turns that have shaped my life.

I have advanced kidney failure caused by a chronic kidney disease called IgA nephropathy. Despite treatment, my kidneys have progressively lost their ability to do their job. I have not yet started dialysis, and my doctors and I hope that I can receive a kidney transplant before dialysis becomes necessary. I am fortunate that I can still work, teach, conduct research, and spend time with my family. But kidney failure has become an unavoidable part of daily life. It is difficult to make long-term plans while knowing that something as fundamental as my health depends on finding a kidney.

 
 

I am looking for a living donor. I am asking this of both friends and strangers, because I have no immediate family that is able to donate. Living donor transplants generally have better outcomes and can be arranged at a time convenient for both parties. I am compatible with any Type A or O blood type. Even if you do not have the same blood type, you can donate as part of a paired exchange program.

The most difficult part of waiting for a transplant is not knowing what the future holds. I hope to live a normal, healthy life, be present for my two children, and continue pushing boundaries as a scientist and entrepreneur to bring breakthroughs to life.

Please review existing Living Donor Benefits/Rights to determine which apply to you.

Thank you for considering saving my life.  

With deep gratitude,

Zhong-Lin