OGDEN, Utah — A man waiting for a kidney transplant is using a unique method to spread the word about the need for organ donations.
Jeff Byers has chronic kidney disease and has been waiting for a donor for three years.
“This is one of the most daunting things in the world right now,” Byers said.
The father of four endures 12 hours of dialysis treatments every week.
“I don’t get to do the things I want to do because of the way I feel,” he said.
Byers and his wife, Sonya, have the phone number to Intermountain Donor Services posted on the rear windows of their vehicles.
People can call the number to inquire about becoming a living donor.
“If they are on the fence about it, all they need to do is think about what kind of impact it has,” Jeff said.
Someone saw the display on Jeff’s truck and posted a photo on Facebook that has since received hundreds of shares and likes.
“It’s more humbling than anything I’ve ever experienced,” Jeff said. “I can’t believe the amount of people who have no idea who I am until now, the kind of support they are showing and the willingness to be tested."
The Byers hope the exposure will lead to a match with someone willing to give up a kidney.
“I would lose it,” Sonya Byers said. “That’s what I want more than anything.”
A transplant would end the dialysis treatments for Jeff and help him return to a normal, healthy life.
“It would mean the world to me,” he said.
To learn more about becoming an organ donor visit YesUtah.org.
