By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
Juan Vazquez, an EMT for Pennsauken EMS, has lived in town for almost two decades. A member of Pennsauken High School’s Class of 2004, he married his high school sweetheart, Kelly, and has two boys, ages 10 and 1.
He’s also in need of a kidney transplant.
Vazquez has lupus, an autoimmune disease that attacks tissues and organs in the body. The disease has severely affected his kidneys, which are functioning at only 5 percent.
“Throughout time, the lupus took my kidneys away,” says Vazquez. “I’ve been on dialysis since December of 2018.”
Juan was a very active husband and dad and trained in Brazilian Jujitsu as a black belt before his kidneys failed. He’s currently on disability, as he underwent surgery to switch over to home hemodialysis, which will perform the job his kidneys can’t do now: purify his blood. His family has been tested to become live donors for him, but they haven’t passed for various reasons; one of which is that Vazquez has an O positive blood type, which is difficult to match.
“To get a live donor, that would be the best case scenario,” explains Vazquez. “A kidney from a live donor will last about 15 years. One from a cadaver lasts from eight to ten. A live kidney donation gives you a longer life expectancy. I get to be with my family longer.”
Those interested in pursuing the donation process can contact Lourdes at (856) 796-9370, press 4, and ask about donating to Juan Vazquez. To directly donate to Juan, individuals will need to have an O positive blood type. There’s also the option for a paired kidney exchange, or “kidney swap,” where a living kidney donor is incompatible with a recipient, but they can exchange kidneys with another donor/recipient pair.
“I appreciate anybody who would take the time to consider donating a kidney. It means a lot,” adds Vazquez.
