David Warner was a healthy 15 year old boy who has always been a good student and very involved with sports and loves to play baseball and golf. However, on September 9th, 2002 David was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

In David’s case kidney failure happened very quickly. David was put on several different steroids but was found to be steroid resistant and his kidneys failed within the year of being diagnosed. He has been on kidney dialysis for the past two years and is looking to have a kidney transplant in the next year when a donor match can be found and even with a kidney transplant there are no guarantees and the disease could eventually affect the new kidney.

On Sunday September 9th, 2007 about 2:30 in the morning I received THE PHONE CALL!!!! All Children’s Hospital called and said we have a donor and we need you to go to Life Link in Tampa, Florida and get blood work done to see if you and the donor are a match. My dad, mom, sister, my best friend and I drove to Life Link. We got there about 3:30 a.m. From there we drove to All

At about 1:00 p.m. I went into recovery and then brought into ICCU. I was in there for 4 days and then to a private room for 4 days. In that time I was trained on what medication I would be taken and what the purpose was for them.

During the next three months were very crucial for me. There are a lot of precautions that I had to do. I had to wear a mask or the other person had to for the first month. I had to be home bound and wash my hands consistently. I had to watch what I ate and drank.

The first month I had to go to All Children’s Hospital twice a week and do blood work and see the doctors. The second month was once a week and the third month was every other week. Then it becomes once a month. During these times they changed my medications according to the blood work. The medications are a lot in the beginning but during the course they would be weaning me off on some medications and some will remain the same. There will be medications that I will have to take for the rest of my life but that is ok with me, as long as I stay healthy and my body won’t reject my new kidney.

I am currently a college student with a 3.5 GPA! I am doing very well and pray everyday that I will remain healthy.