Days after his 18th birthday, Michael Noble came down with what he thought was the flu. After experiencing uncontrollable nosebleeds, a test showed that his blood pressure was dangerously high. Michael’s life changed in an instant. He went from working at Louie’s Pizza and getting ready for college, to fighting for his life. After a month in the hospital, Michael was diagnosed with Wegener granulomatosis, a rare autoimmune disorder which inflames the blood vessels and restricts blood flow to critical organs. The cause of the disease is unknown. Aggressive medications allowed Michael to recover from the disorder, but his kidneys had already suffered permanent damage. Doctors say a kidney transplant is his only hope for a second chance at life.
Michael is on the organ transplant waiting list at University Hospital in Aurora, Colorado. His parents both attempted to be donors, but neither was a match. He undergoes peritoneal dialysis at his home daily, which leaves him exhausted.
He looks forward to the lifesaving transplant that will allow him to live like a normal 19-year-old. He would like nothing more than to be a full-time college student with enough energy to snowboard again.
NFT helps patients like Michael raise funds to pay for the significant expenses related to transplantation. If you want to help Michael, or patients like him, visit the NFT Web site to make a donation. If you’d like information on how NFT can help you, or someone you know, raise funds for a lifesaving transplant, visit our Web site or call 800-489-3863.
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