Photo credit: Jason Rumball
Jason Rumball, who is from Stouffville, is keeping his fingers crossed that this time he can find a new life-saving kidney—pronto. Although pronto hardly describes how things work in the world of organ donations and transplants.
So how is Jason doing? Right now, it’s still back to the past for the local Whistle Radio DJ/producer. Back to the restricted diet, back to not being able to do everything he wants, back to operations and back to that dialysis clinic three times a week. He’s at the clinic for four hours each time, hooked up to a hemodialysis machine by all kinds of tubes to clean life-threatening toxins from his blood. An AV fistula where a surgeon will connect a vein and artery in his arm is needed. It’s not an easy thing to endure. To get a small glimpse of Jason’s life with dialysis, check out the trailers for a documentary called “8: The Gift of Life” produced by Toronto film maker Nadia Zaidi, of Reel Voice Productions. The "8" refers to the up to eight people who can be helped by one organ donor. You can find the trailers on his Jason Rumball Needs a Kidney Facebook page (click “Discussion”). Keep checking back to see when the documentary will air.
Jason has been undergoing dialysis for one year and nine months already.
This time around he’s looking for someone to help him: to help tell the story of the triumphs and the camaraderie, the frustrations, the wait times people have to endure to save their lives or at least make them much more livable, what donors experience and more.
And the advocate (or advocates) would help not only him, but “…I also want these actions to help others waiting for lifesaving organs,” he shared on Facebook.
Through the years, he has been doing his utmost to bring his story to as many people as he can through social media, including his Jason Rumball Facebook page, Jason Rumball Needs A Kidney on Facebook, and on Twitter. He tells his story with organizations such as the York Region Gift of Life Association and the Transplant Ambassador Program (ambassador.ca), which connects people undergoing the transplant journey with those who have been there.
Jason hopes that raising awareness of organ transplants may encourage people to get tested to see if they are a match. “The more awareness the better,” he says.
He is again seeking a living donor. Why? He told me the wait for a kidney from a deceased donor is six to nine years!
“I do not want to be on dialysis much longer…I want that kidney asap!”, he says
He has already waited the same length time he did 21 years ago when he received that first marvellous kidney from his sister, Rachelle Nurnberger. It served him well for almost 20 years. She made her surprise announcement at his 23rd birthday celebration.
If you want to help advocate for Jason and the organ donation cause, contact the Reel Voice production team at
Reelvoiceproductions@gmail.com
If you are considering organ donation or have questions, you can contact Jason through Facebook.
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