My name is Judy Kirchmann, and I have end-stage kidney failure. I was born with only one working kidney, and have fought kidney disease my entire life.
I am currently on dialysis, which is keeping me alive—but what I truly need is a living kidney donation. A transplant from a living donor would not only extend my life, but also restore my energy and allow me to live a normal life. While dialysis is lifesaving, it is not a long-term solution. A kidney transplant offers a far better outcome.
I’m on the deceased donor list at Nebraska Medicine, but the average wait time is about five – six years. With a living donor, I could receive a kidney much sooner—and living donor kidneys generally last longer.
There simply aren’t enough available kidneys to meet the need. That’s why I’m reaching out to ask if you—or someone you know—might consider being a living donor. You only need one healthy kidney to live a full, active life. If you decide to be tested, all testing is paid for by my insurance. It doesn’t cost you anything to try. This is a difficult request, but I’ve been advised by my kidney team to leave no stone unturned in my quest to find a donor. If you’re a match, you could literally save my life. A little about me: I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska living for a while in both Seattle, WA and Louisville, KY. I went to St. Pius X, Duchesne Academy in Omaha, NE, Forest Ridge Academy in Bellevue, WA, and graduated from Creighton University. My husband, Ron, and I are lucky to be the proud aunt and uncle of some truly amazing nieces and nephews. I am a docent at the Wildlife Park in Ashland, NE, with a focus on our eagle aviary and wolf pack, which I dearly love. My dad was a sportswriter for the Omaha World-Herald, and through him I grew up surrounded by sports—horse racing, golf, Creighton basketball, and Husker football. His job afforded our family the opportunity to travel with him to many Bluejay basketball road games, and other special sporting events. These experiences instilled in me a love of travel, which shaped my future career. I worked my way through high school and college as a groom for Hall of Fame horse trainer Jack Van Berg, at Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha, and his Kentucky farm, as well as Keeneland and Churchill Downs. To this day, I am an advocate for horse rescue and was privileged to have two retired thoroughbreds in our family. Their lives post-racing served as an example of how horses should be treated. I look forward to feeling better someday so I can continue in my horse world.
Eventually, I found my calling in the hotel industry and spent 25 years with the Hyatt Hotels Corporation. I now work as a meeting planner—a job I love and hope to continue doing for many more years. But my kidney disease is making that harder. Travel and day-to-day work are increasingly difficult. A transplant would give me back the energy and freedom I’ve lost—and most importantly, the chance for a longer, fuller life. If my story touches you, and God has placed the desire to help on your heart, please visit: www.nebraskamed.com/livingdonor or call UNMC at 402.559.5000. You may also reach out to me at akidney4judy@yahoo.com Thank you for reading about my need. Thank you for sharing my message. With all my heart, Judy Kirchmann
