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Left: George post transplant with Nichole Henson, RN. Right: George with Dr. Lyle Burdine,
transplant surgeon at University of Arkansas Medical Sciences.

While it depressed George to see so many research, travel to meet with specialists across
sick people on dialysis, it also motivated him. the country, and wading through each hospital’s
“Seeing all those people gave me the zeal to process to get on their waitlist. But with
press on. I didn’t want to be there!” Carol’s help, George was up for the challenge.
“I am a proactive person—admittedly,
Taking Charge sometimes compulsive,” he says. “I clearly was
Shortly before his kidneys started to give highly motivated to rise to this challenge. After
up on him, George had attended a CCC all, this is my health, so absolutely I’m going to
Alliance event in New York, where he heard a do the most I can.”
presentation given by Bill Rowley, founder of In total, George got himself on the waitlists
Healthnetwork Foundation. in eight regions of the country. He visited
“I was very impressed, and I thought maybe most of the major hospitals with transplant
they could help me,” he remembers. programs—UCSF and Stanford, three Mayo
George got connected with one of Health- Clinic locations, University of Pittsburgh,
network’s Medical Coordinators, Carol Akromas, Cleveland Clinic, and Johns Hopkins—as well
and together they mapped out a strategy. In as some lesser known hospitals, like the
concept, it was simple: Since different regions University of Colorado and University of Arkansas.
have their own waitlists for transplants, “Carol and I talked weekly, working
George would get his name on as many lists as collaboratively to develop a comprehensive
possible to increase his chances of getting a strategy,” says George. “It was up to me to do
kidney. The implementation, however, was not the legwork, go out to meet doctors and so
so simple. It required a massive amount of forth, but Carol was invaluable in being a true
partner and strategic coach. She helped me
research, learning where the waitlists were
shortest, as well as evaluating the strengths of
Carol [from Healthnetwork] was a strong specific departments. Carol saved me who
voice of reason, helping me cope with the knows how many months of searching. Most
endless emotional roller coaster that this importantly, she was a strong voice of reason,
whole process entails. helping me cope with the endless emotional
roller coaster that this whole process entails.”

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