According to King 5 News in Seattle, WA Damon Brown s taking an unusual approach in his search for a kidney donor. Faced with a life-threatening disease, he's turned to Facebook.
On the outside, Damon Brown looks like your average, healthy 37-year-old. But on the inside, he is dying. Ten months ago his kidneys simply gave up.
"I didn't have any disease or anything like that they just failed," Brown said.
Damon's daily routine is more like a doctor's than a dad of two little boys.
"Every morning I check my weight and take my blood pressure to make sure everything is a-okay," he said.
He washes his hands like a surgeon would, puts on a mask, and begins his regimen of doing the job his kidneys can't. A catheter in his stomach connects to a bag that collects fluid from Damon's body.
"It actually pulls the toxins from my blood so it works kind of like a kidney, and then I'll fill it back up with new fluid," said Brown.
It's dialysis on the go. It keeps him out of the clinic so he can spend more time at home. But it's not enough.
"I needed a kidney yesterday," joked Brown.
So he's hitting Facebook hoping to find a donor, hoping to find life.
"We said let's just do it and so we did it Friday night," said his wife and high school sweetheart, Bethany Brown.
His Facebook page, Damon Kidney, to "Save a Life" has already gone viral. Wanted: One kidney donor, blood type O. Damon knows it's a lot to ask.
"I'm not going to play the game of feeling bad because someone hasn't stepped forward. It's a tough decision, people have their life too," he said.
But he also know he has to do whatever it takes to save his life. At night, Damon connects to a machine at his bedside. It is surrounded by art made by his 5-year-old son Julian.
"He said he wanted to put the artwork up around daddy's al-oh-sis (sic) machine," he says.
What Damon Brown lacks in kidney function he more than makes up for in heart, pouring his whole being into being there for his family. And hoping Facebook can help.
"I'd like to see my kids' kids, and have a whole wall of family."
This would be Damon's second kidney transplant. His father donated a kidney ten years ago. But doctors say he needs another willing, matching donor.
For more information or to check out Damon's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100002576999142
If you're interested in being tested to see if you're a match for Damon, call the Virginia Mason Transplant Office/ 1-800-354-9527 ext 11201 or 206-341-1201.
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