Photo: Facebook

A 25-year-old Kamloops man awaiting a kidney donation has started dialysis — a sudden turn of events his mother says “absolutely shocked” the family.

Ryan Firman’s loved ones have launched a full-bore search to find him a kidney donor after finding out no immediate family members were a match.

But as the campaign picked up steam, Firman got a call with news he’d have to start dialysis. It was an eventuality his mom said was expected, but not so soon.

Susan Firman said her son was contacted last Monday by a nurse who wanted to book him that day for dialysis — and the family quickly gathered to hear the update.

“We were all standing in my office, and we're like, 'No, call them back. This has got to be a mistake,’” Susan said.

“We would have received a phone call, I would have thought, from a doctor [saying] ‘Hey, you know, let's discuss this, these are your options.’ But it was more of an emergency situation is how it felt to us.”

Susan said bloodwork turned up some worrying results. Firman has since started doing dialysis three times per week — a process that takes about four hours per session.

She said he is still trying to work, but is finding himself extra tired with the new regime. When he’s not at work or the hospital, he’s at home trying to sleep.

“Ryan has always been pretty exhausted from the kidney issues. You just kind of feel like you've got the flu all the time, a little bit. You’re just exhausted,” Susan said. “And he's like, ‘This is a next level of exhaustion, something I've never felt before.’”

Susan said Ryan, who was diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 16, has been “a trooper,” accepting this new stage and trying to keep positive — but it hasn’t been easy.

Still looking for a donor

The call for potential donors has spread far and wide.

“It's been amazing. We've had support from random strangers, people as far as Nova Scotia, all over the Lower Mainland, a couple people from Dawson Creek, Prince George, Calgary — all over the place,” she said.

Susan said it’s great the message is spreading — not just for her son, but for the vast number of others who are waiting for a healthy kidney, too.

“if you can't help Ryan, maybe you can help somebody else,” she said.

Susan said she believes there are people currently being tested to see if they are a match for Firman, but they don’t know for sure.

There are several steps required for someone to become a living donor, and Ryan and his family will only be notified when an individual makes it to a certain point in the process.

Help Firmans raise money

As they hope for a new kidney for their son, Firman’s family is hoping to raise money for the Kidney Foundation through a fundraiser walk happening in Kamloops on June 1.

The event is being held at McDonald Park.

“Our goal and our mission is to get 50 people to come to the local walk here in Kamloops, and our goal is to try to raise $5,000,” Susan said.

People can head to the Kamloops Kidney Walk website to find out more about the event or make a donation to Firman’s team.

For more information on Firman’s situation, visit the Facebook page set up to help him find a living kidney donor.

To learn more about organ donation and if you may be eligible to help Firman, call 1-604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182 or send an email to [email protected], quoting BC Transplant Identification Number 26907.