Blood type mix-up extends kidney transplant wait time for Scottsdale man

SCOTTSDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — For his 24th birthday on Sunday, Lukas Kirby wished for the ultimate gift: a kidney.

“Instead of thinking about the future ... I’m thinking, ‘Will I have a future?’” said Kirby.

When he was 16, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease. Just a couple of months ago, Kirby said he thought he had found a donor, but there was a mix-up at a Valley hospital.

“There was just some miscommunication saying I was a B positive blood type and literally a few months ago, we found out I wasn’t we already had found a B positive donor who was willing to donate,” he said.

Kirby doesn’t want to put the blame on anyone, but he is disappointed. His focus now is to find a match with his correct blood type, which is A positive. However, he is racing against time.

He said the mix-up pushed his transplant wait time back anywhere from six months to a year due to all the tests involved in the process of finding a match. If he doesn’t get a transplant within a year, Kirby said he’ll have to start dialysis since he’s now in Stage 4, which puts him at high risk of having kidney failure, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

It’s a treatment that comes with numerous side effects that can be hard on the body.

“You’re just waking up every day thinking how can I live to the next day. You’re not thinking about business or starting a family or anything like that. It’s just how can I make the most impact while I still can,” he said.

Kirby had to cut back on many of his work projects involving non-profits in Kansas City, Missouri. He said he is fatigued, which means he can’t always enjoy his favorite hobbies. If he stays on dialysis, there’s no telling how long he can go on.

“It’s just an unfortunate hand I was dealt with,” he said.

However, he and his family are not giving up on his birthday wish being granted. If he receives a donation, Kirby said he can go back to doing things he enjoys and plans to raise awareness about the disease.

If you would like to help, please contact the Donor Network of Arizona at 602-222-2200.

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