If there was a photo example of the word ‘positivity’ in the dictionary, you would find a picture of Deborah McGee.
Never Giving Up
Experiencing two open heart surgeries, having lived in a shelter, and a returning dialysis patient, Ms. McGee radiates gratitude and determination for living.
Ms. McGee depends on public transportation to attend her dialysis treatments. East Tennessee Kidney Foundation has helped Ms. McGee with travel costs to and from dialysis treatment. “[The program] helps save me money. Some months I wasn’t going to have enough to get to treatment. I budget to get here. It can be expensive to get here three times a week, five weeks in a month.”
“I’m not giving up, I refuse to give up.”
-Deborah McGee
The Other Side
Ms. McGee is thankful to attend dialysis treatment, “I can’t do a lot, but I am grateful to be on this side.” However, most days she looks forward to getting her treatment over with.
“Once you get here on the machine, you run through, then go home. Some days are better than other days, some days I have to go straight home and go to bed.”
“Some days I will be sick and call out, but if you don’t come, you might have to go to emergency services. I was in the hospital for eight days, 5 days on dialysis then had to get fluid because they drained everything out of my body.”
What Deborah Wants Others to Know About Dialysis
“It gets better, at first I was going through it but I came to terms with it, you make it what it is, at least I don’t have cancer; I can’t do a lot of stuff, still grateful to be on this side;”
Celebrating Changes for Deborah
Thanks to the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation and the Dianne Hagey Dialsysis Transportation Program Deborah is able to save money and make it to her dialysis appointments. Prior to having this support Deborah was struggling to afford her treatments and the transportation needed to get there. This often led to her skipping appointments and getting sick as a result.
Now she is able to be picked up and driven to her appointments without having to worry about the cost. Deborah is also able to attend her appointments early in the morning so that she can get out early. This gives her the rest of the day to recover from the side effects she experiences after her treatment.
Be the Match: Become A Donor Today
There are over 15,000 people in Tennessee currently living with kidney disease and that number continues to increase every year. However you can help make a difference by registering to become an organ donor today.
Kidney donation is something that can be provided by a living donor. Living donors allow for an immediate impact and help spare patients long wait times by being on a waiting list.
In 2023 more than 6,900 transplants were made possible by living donors.
You can help save a life today by registering to become an organ donor on your drivers license or becoming a living donor.
Tennessee Donor Services provides a variety of resources and information about the donation process. Click the link below to learn more about how you can have an impact on someone’s life today.