As he celebrated his 43rd birthday on March 6, Howard Lulua of Nemiah Valley continues his search for a matching donor for a kidney transplant.
Lulua was diagnosed with stage five chronic kidney disease in 2022 and has been in urgent need of a transplant for the last few months as his kidney function worsens. He was in hospital throughout November 2024 and is now going for regular checkups as he waits to find a match.
“I’ve been pretty sore for a while now, it’s an ongoing battle,” Lulua told the Tribune.
The search for a matching donor can be long, though Lulua is hopeful as he and his younger brother prepare to set off to Vancouver next week for testing. Jimmy Lulua has reached the third stage of testing to determine whether he can donate his kidney to his brother.
“One kidney is all you need to help him live a normal life,” said Tl’etinqox (Anaham) Chief Joe Alphonse in a previous interview with the Tribune.
While Lulua hopes for a good outcome during next week’s testing, the search for a donor has not yet ended.
The Kidney Foundation's website notes kidney transplants are "the most successful of all transplant procedures," and while most people have two kidneys, "a person can live a healthy life with only one."
The process to donate a kidney begins by reaching out to Vancouver General Hospital at 1-604-875-5182, 1-855-875-5182 or at kidneydonornurse@vch.ca. You can also contact St. Paul's Hospital at 604-806-9027, 1-877-922-9822 or donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca.
Lulua said is he very thankful to everybody for all the support he has received.
