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Aug
12
2014

Helping a Childhood Friend

heart in handI am a long time friend of Bev’s, having met up in our undergrad years on Toronto and continuing our friendship over the decades and across continents.

I have just been accepted as a match for a childhood friend of mine who needs a kidney.

My friend was diagnosed with kidney disease. She has now been on dialysis for 4 years.

Potential donors were sought. Some people, even complete strangers, have offered, but they were rejected for one reason or another. The assessment procedure is very protective of donors, being careful to not put them at any risk themselves.

When I heard about her needing a kidney, I read the links that were sent to me, and learned more about kidneys. I called the Kidney Foundation, and then the Living Donor Co-ordinator. I learned a great deal and decided to be assessed.

I wanted to give my friend more time…..and a better quality of life. Currently, her fatigue is huge and she is not able to go away anywhere for more than one night at a time. There were other reasons as well. She is a grandmother, as am I, and wants to have more time and energy to enjoy this.

I have been accepted!!!

On August 18 the surgery will happen. All our families will be there. I feel really good about this and I feel this is a great privilege.

I would ask to your prayers, good wishes and positive thoughts for Monday August 18 for Pam (donor) and Ann (recipient) and our families.

Tags: dialysis, donor, families, friend, kidney disease, Kidney Foundation, surgery
Posted in Choice, healing | 4 Comments »

Aug
12
2014

Can You Help My Friend?

sunflower - loyalty and longevityThis isn’t a plea for a new boyfriend.  It’s a heartfelt hope that the as-yet-unknown person whose blood type is just right for my friend will come forward for testing. I tried and was not the perfect match. Maybe you are.

For Teresa Atkinson, being a great fighter isn’t always a plus.  I’ve known Teresa for over 10 years and since our first meeting at The Kidney Foundation where I worked and she volunteered, I was struck by her ability to overcome obstacles, fight back when things or situations needed changing, and strategize solutions to problems.  A tireless worker on any committee she joins, she is also lots of fun to work and be with – all while enduring the many challenges of being a kidney dialysis patient.  Teresa was one of the first in BC to train for home dialysis and for the past decade her bedtime routine includes face washing, teeth cleaning and night dialyzing – a system whereby she hooks herself up to a dialysis machine that cleanses her blood overnight while she sleeps.

But for Teresa, it’s time to get off dialysis and receive a new kidney. Her system is having problems handling the challenges of ongoing dialysis.  Unfortunately her great fighting ability comes from more than just her positive spirit.  It’s also in the blood –and for a transplant hopeful, that’s not good news.  Teresa’s antibodies, her system’s fighters, are too plentiful and too efficient.

According to Wikipedia, the world’s new dictionary for everything, antibodies in the blood identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses.  The problem is, antibodies also identify and neutralize (reject) other foreign objects – such as donated and transplanted organs, like kidneys.

The anti-rejection drugs that transplant patients take daily for the rest of their lives usually work well to “fool” the recipient’s antibodies into thinking the new organs are good guys that don’t need to be rejected.  But for people like Teresa who have an excess of antibodies, it’s more challenging. The need to find a donor whose blood is a perfect match for hers is imperative.  It can be done.  It has been done.  But it takes longer.

I had hoped to be that person.  When I saw on her Facebook page that Teresa was searching for a kidney donor I immediately wanted to help.  I knew from my work at The Kidney Foundation that people don’t need two kidneys and that following surgery a living kidney donor goes right back to normal life never noticing that one kidney is gone.  I also knew from knowing and working with Teresa that I wanted to try to be her donor.  Unfortunately I am not the perfect match.  After only two trips to the lab for blood tests it was determined that a kidney from my body would not meet Teresa’s needs.

Teresa needs a new kidney.  I ask that everyone who knows her, loves her and wants to help her gets tested.  The perfect match is out there.  Maybe it’s you.  To find out, call the Pre-Assessment Transplant Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital, 604-875-5182.

Tags: blood type, dialysis, fighting, healing, kidney, perfect match, positive, spirit, testing, transplant
Posted in healing | No Comments »

Beverley Pugh

Beverley Pugh

Beverley Pugh has international experience in Individual, Marital and Family Therapist services. Areas of practice include counselling in: individual, couples, family, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, pain management, multicultural, workplace and others.

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Mastery Practice Tool

What is one of the most inspirational moments you have experienced?

In a quiet moment, remember, revisit, and let the sensations of this inspirational moment go through you. For me, it is often sensations of awe, expansiveness, and creativity. My breathing deepens and becomes longer. My perspective expands. From this place we can all draw on more of our courage and creativity to step outside of our comfort zone. We can use this momentum to step into the new experiences we want to create for ourselves.

Testimonial

Bev's Laughing and Breathing Belly Workshop for Children was one of the best I have attended. She has a gifted ability to gently connect with children and teach and share with them her techniques of belly breathing, rooting, mind vacations and laughter. These techniques soothe and calm them whenever they feel overwhelmed or anxious - be at school, home or before bed time. Whether you have an overwhelmed pre-schooler or a test-anxious pre-teen, Bev's approach works! I love that she gave parents the tools to model and share these fundamentals of meditation with their children. I would encourage families to take her course...your children will thank you and you will benefit from ways to keep yourself calm and allow wisdom in.

Farrah J. - Mother of 3, West Vancouver

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About Beverley

Beverley Pugh has international experience in Individual, Marital and Family Therapist services. Areas of practice include counselling in: individual, couples, family, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, pain management, multicultural, workplace and others.

Contact

Telephone:
604-925-1513
Email:
bev@beverleypugh.com
Location:
120-1451 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC
V7T 1B8
Canada

Disclaimer: The information presented on this site about various psychological conditions, is of a general nature and is not a substitute for an assessment by a competent therapist and/or medical professional. If you believe that you or an important person in your life is in need of an intervention please seek qualified help as soon as possible.

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