PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A Beaverton teacher in need of a new kidney has a lot of life left in her and is hoping someone will give her the gift of life.
Sandy Reimer adores teaching third graders at Jacob Wismer Elementary and she also loves spending time with her grandchildren. Her heart is full, but her mind is constantly aware that the clock is ticking.
“Unfortunately, we’re getting to the end of this kidney. I have about 16% function left. So, it’s time for me to look for another one,” Reimer said.
Twenty-nine years ago, Reimer had a strep throat infection that wiped out most of her kidney function and she needed a transplant to live. Reimer’s mother was a match, and the transplant was a success.
“As time traveled on, my mom just stepped up without hesitation and said, ‘I want to donate,’” Reimer said.
Now, after almost three decades, Reimer is looking for a new gift of life as the average kidney transplant from a living donor lasts 20 to 25 years.
Sarah Holtz, who is also a kidney transplant recipient, is Reimer’s Erase the Wait mentor and is helping to spread the word about Reimer’s situation.
Holtz says 20 people a day pass away in the United States while waiting for a donor.
“We call it the ‘big ask.’ So, how do you ask somebody, ‘Hey, can you give me a piece of yourself for a gift of life?’ So, that is my involvement with Sandy,” Holtz explained. “Hope is our biggest word and… what we have to hold on to.”
Reimer has had relatives, friends and co-workers who wanted to donate one of their kidneys, but they didn’t match for one reason or another as factors such as blood type impact if you’re a match.
In the meantime, Reimer will continue teaching as long as her health allows while she looks for her next hero.
Reimer added “I have so much left I want to do. I want to continue teaching these amazing third graders. I’m a grandmother now, so I want to spend more time with the kids there.”