John Nakata, 37, says he is too young to die and he wants to be around to raise his five-year-old son. But as each hour and day passes, he feels the likelihood of that happening decreases.
Nakata and his family appeared on YouTube in a video dated July 8 of this year.
The three-and-a-half-minute video shows John, his wife, Sherry, and his sister, Tina Nakata, pleading to anyone who is between the ages of 21 and 60 and in good health with type "O" blood to agree to be tested by doctors at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia as a potential donor.
John has diabetes, coronary heart disease and failing kidneys. He receives hemodialysis three times a week and he has been on the donor list for years. But he feels time is running out and he believes he may have only two years to live.
Doctors at the hospital suggested that he get the word out for a stranger to step forward and donate a kidney.
"Each day about 19 people die waiting for a kidney donor. There are 80,000 people who need kidneys," Sherry said. She and her husband want to make people aware of the need for kidney and other organ donors.
Nakata's rare blood type presents another problem for donors but he and his family have been encouraged by the fact that they've heard from people in California, Cincinnati and other sections of the country.
"Four people have been tested and more are responding," Sherry said. "We're getting a lot of feedback and it's just amazing how strangers will offer to donate their kidney, but so far we haven't found a match."
The family has used just about every form of the media to get their message out for a kidney donor.
A man who identified himself as Jeremy White e-mailed the Standard-Speaker on July 22 asking for an area code number from a story published in the Standard-Speaker in June.
White said in the e-mail that he is a healthy, 37-year-old man with type "O" blood and stated he is willing to donate his kidney.
White sent a follow-up e-mail explaining his plans to contact a nephrologist to find out what else he needs to do to help Nakata. A nephrologist is a physician specializing in kidneys.
The newspaper forwarded White's e-mail to the Nakata family so they might contact him.
White wrote that he can't save everybody but it would be great to save one person.
John Nakata is hoping along with his family for just such a stranger to get tested at the University of Pennsylvania and to have a matching kidney that can be transplanted in time to save his life.
In addition to receiving hemodialysis, Nakata must take insulin and 46 pills daily.
He hopes that a donor will be found soon so he can celebrate his 15th wedding anniversary and continue to be able to spend time with his son.
To contact the Nakatas, call 570-436-5114 or e-mail them at donate2john@gmail.com.
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