SASKATOON — Saskatoon resident Dante Cronje never imagined his life would change after a sudden health issue.
Around seven years ago, Cronje started feeling unwell and had his bloodwork checked. Shortly after, Cronje was advised to head to the emergency room immediately.
“They pretty much said ‘your kidneys are shutting down [and] you almost have zero function left.”
Doctors also advised Cronje that if he hadn’t done his bloodwork this quickly, he might have died.
“It was very stressful, I had a panic attack and lots of anxiety.”
For Cronje, the next step was six months of dialysis to ensure he was stable enough for a transplant.
However, Cronje never expected to wait over six years to find a suitable match.
“When I first got to be put on the list, I got a backpack ready, everything just in case, you know, you'd get a call, and then as the years went by, it feels like it's never gonna happen.“
Cronje's family volunteered to donate their kidneys, but none of theirs were a match.
He mentioned it takes a year's worth of testing to ensure a kidney is compatible with those on the list.
While Cronje waits for a new kidney, he is taking dialysis three times a week.
Dialysis removes excess fluid or blood from the kidneys since they’re unable to.
However, dialysis cannot fix Cronje’s current condition, which limits his ability to drink fluids, travel, or do certain activities.
“At the moment, it feels like I have no life. My life is dialysis.“
Cronje also currently works and mentioned that there are days he struggles with no energy.
“I really have no choice but to [only] take time off when I really need it.”
By sharing his story, Cronje hopes more people will come forward so he can find a suitable match.
Cronje has type B positive blood, and anyone interested in contacting him can do so through his Facebook.
The day Cronje can get a new kidney would be an exciting moment for him.
“I would mainly want to travel and do road trips again.”
