Page 25 - More than a match
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Next Stages of the Evaluation Process


              further blood test to check for sickle cell disease (I am a carrier)



                                       2: Medical Tests
              These are the major tests to determine if one is medically suitable to
              donate  a  kidney.  Just  having  a  compatible  blood  group  and  tissue
              match  are  not  enough.  These  medical  tests  were  what  I  called  the
              make or break it tests. The four tests are: Glomerular Filtration Rate
              (GFR), Electrocardiogram (ECG), CT Angiogram, and x-rays of the
              chest and abdomen.


                             3: Consultant Kidney Specialist Review

               A doctor who specializes in kidney disease is called a nephrologist.
              During this appointment, the consultant will review the results of your
              Stage 2 medical tests. It is at this stage you will find out if you are able
              to donate, need to go for further tests, or are not a suitable donor.


                                4: Consultant Surgeon Meeting
               At this stage, you will meet the consultant who will perform your

              operation. It is the final stage where your suitability to donate would
              be confirmed. The consultant specialist provides you information
              about  the  operation,  the  transplant,  recovery  and  the  treatment
              you would receive until you are discharged from the hospital.


                                  5: Independant Assessment
               The blood tests carried out at the hospital already showed that Tayo and
              I are related. However, it is a legal requirement that we can also prove that
              we are. We would need to provide documents such as birth certificates,

              passports and photographs of us together.


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       More than a match book V9.indd   15                                   15/6/13   6:36:30 pm
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