After 8 years of waiting: one call changes everything for Niyazi Yaris!

After 8 years of waiting: one call changes everything for Niyazi Yaris!

A call for solidarity and hope: In Germany, around 6,400 people are currently waiting for a new kidney. These numbers are alarming, especially when you consider that estimates put up to 30,000 people affected. Around 100,000 patients are forced to go to dialysis three times a week to ensure their survival. Although dialysis is vital, it comes with significant limitations, and the average wait for a kidney transplant is about eight years Swabian newspaper reported.

A striking example of this problem is the story of Niyazi Yaris, who received a kidney transplant at the age of 53. He lost a kidney due to an incompletely cured bladder infection in his childhood. At age 27, he had a kidney removed and lived with the remaining kidney until the transplant. Thanks to peritoneal dialysis, he was able to significantly reduce the stress of dialysis times. In 2018, after an eight-year wait, he received the longed-for call that changed his life.

Kidney transplants in Germany

The procedure itself took place at the Großhadern Clinic in Munich after Yaris had to travel within six hours. His new kidney came from a brain-dead donor, whose identity remained unknown to him. Kidney transplantation has been established in Germany since 1963, and the number of transplants carried out has increased in recent years. In 2018, there were a total of 1,607 transplants from deceased donors and 522 from living donors, meaning the need remains high. Many patients have to rely on dialysis procedures such as hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis while waiting, which often leads to a deterioration in their health.

The Services of the university hospitals in Germany show that living donations in particular represent an opportunity to shorten the waiting time until a transplant. A living kidney donation is the transfer of a kidney from a healthy person. In Germany, around 1,400 kidneys from deceased people are transplanted every year, which illustrates the immense demand for organs.

Education and necessity of organ donation

Specialist Anna Ziegler, who works closely with the topic of kidney transplantation, emphasizes the urgency of organ donor cards. Germany currently has one of the lowest rates in Europe with 11.4 donors per million inhabitants. Ziegler particularly appeals to seniors to register as organ donors, as there is no age limit. For many patients, a transplant is a long-term solution, but it is important to note that a relapse to dialysis must always be expected - after 20 years at the latest, further transplants or dialysis may be necessary.

Niyazi Yaris is aware of this reality. Despite the relief the transplant has brought him, he knows he may need dialysis again in retirement. In this context it is Kidney transplant initiative was created that brings together various organizations to improve the situation for dialysis patients. The goals include better education, support for transplant officers in clinics and the inclusion of organ donation regulations on the electronic health card.

The stories of people like Niyazi Yaris make it clear how important the issues of organ donation and transplantation are in our society. Each of us can help improve the quality of life for thousands - whether through our own decision to donate our organs or by sharing information and education about this important issue.