The 25-time Grammy winner Stevie Wonder will be taking a break from his busy performance schedule this coming September. It's not for a well-deserved vacation or for time to relax. It's to receive a new kidney. The beloved star has been battling a long-term illness, the details of which are not yet disclosed, which has led to chronic kidney disease. He announced at a recent concert that he will be receiving a kidney transplant from a donor in the coming months. The 69-year-old entertainer stated that he wanted to avoid any rumors about his health from circulating, so he decided to come forward with his announcement.
Chronic kidney disease affects 30 million people in the U.S. alone. Most common causes include:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Family history of kidney disease
- Heart disease
- Being over age 60
- African-Americans, Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans are at higher risk.
The kidneys (typically we are born with two, one on either side of the lower back part of the abdominal cavity) function to filter the blood of contaminants, retain the healthy blood products, and release the contaminants and unnecessary fluid in the form of urine. Kidney disease can range from mild to severe, with minimal symptoms such as some bloating/swelling of the feet and itching to severe symptoms such as failure to make urine, severe back pain, trouble breathing and muscle cramping. Individuals with severe kidney disease will require dialysis. The process of dialysis is typically performed several times per week in a designated dialysis facility. It acts as a temporary artificial kidney to filter the contents of the blood, removing contaminants and extra fluid, as well as to regulate electrolyte levels in the blood stream. For those wondering if so-called "detoxes" or electrolyte-supplemented water products can do a similar job, the answer is a simple "no." You need functioning kidneys to do that job. Well, at least one kidney.
Which leads to the concept of kidney transplants. Unlike other vital organs such as the liver, the heart, the pancreas, or the brain, we have two kidneys but need only one. Which is why receiving a kidney transplant, challenging as that may be, is an easier endeavor than receiving a transplanted liver, heart, pancreas or lung (even though we have two lungs, donating a lung is still too high-risk for the donor). We haven't yet gotten to brain transplants, although Elon Musk recently announced that he plans to merge human brains with artificial intelligence. Those with something called end-stage renal failure (ESRD) may be candidates to receive a kidney transplant. This requires registering with a kidney transplant center, to discuss whether or not this is an option. As humans only need one functioning kidney to live, the kidney donor can be a friend, relative or anonymous donor. Or it can be a person who very recently passed away and has signed up to be an organ donor (assuming their organs are healthy at the time of death). The Department of Motor Vehicles in each state offers the option to be a designated organ donor on your driver's license. As there are continually over 100,000 individuals on transplant waiting lists at any given time, this is a wonderful way to use your own death to save another's life. The process for receiving a kidney transplant may include being placed on a kidney transplant waiting list, in anticipation of an ideal "match" (based on several blood tests indicating the lowest likelihood of the recipient's body rejecting the donor kidney). Alternatively, a living relative (or friend) can get tested to see if they are a sufficient "match" for the relative or friend with ESRD. Receiving a donated organ from a recently deceased person is a relatively rapid process when it happens, as there is a defined window of time between the donor's demise and the viability of the organ being transplanted. But in the case of a known (or, at times, anonymous but planned) donor, the surgical procedure can be scheduled, as is the case for Stevie Wonder.
Receiving an organ transplant can be life-saving, and life-altering. But there is much involved in the care of the recipient post-transplantation. While the kidney donor does require some recovery from surgery, the remaining kidney functions as usual, with no need for dialysis or kidney treatment once the initial recovery is complete. But the recipient of the organ requires very close monitoring until kidney function resumes, and requires medication to suppress the immune system in order to prevent rejection of the donor kidney. Even in very close matches, for donations, these medications are necessary. Initially they are given at high doses to prevent rejection. These immunosuppressant medications put the recipient at high risk for infections. Something as simple as a mild respiratory illness can go south very quickly. And no, "immune boosts" do nothing to avert this. And yes, this is one of the many reasons that herd immunity is critical when it comes to widespread vaccination programs. It protects immunosuppressed individuals such as Stevie Wonder come September.
We applaud Stevie Wonder for coming forward to announce his upcoming surgery. It seems he's found a kidney donor--a friend, family member, or an anonymous donor who is an extremely generous individual. Perhaps his celebrity will raise awareness of how common chronic kidney disease is, and that living donors can save a life.
