Richard and Tracy Stuart would give the shirt off their backs to someone in need if they could.
But the Nanaimo couple, who have been together for nearly 25 years, are facing problems of their own right now.
Richard has diabetes and last summer, his kidney function dropped rapidly. He was told to find a kidney donor.
His wife Tracy was more than willing to donate her kidney to her husband and found out she was the perfect match after some blood work. She continued with the rest of the tests necessary to donate but the tests revealed something unexpected.
Tracy has myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells which are a type of white blood cell that produce antibodies.
B次元官网网址淚 just put my head down and apologized because I felt so guilty having cancer and not being able to save his live,B次元官网网址� Tracy said. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 imagine the feeling of guilt that went through me.B次元官网网址�
Before the diagnoses, Tracy was a manager at PetSmart in Nanaimo and Richard worked at London Drugs in both Nanaimo and Duncan.
READ MORE: Victoria mom calls for more organ donors after first kidney transplant fails
The couple now spends their time caring for each other and managing the several appointments they each have to go to. They bought planners to keep track of everything and left their jobs.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 almost overwhelming,B次元官网网址� Richard said. B次元官网网址淲e try to plan whatB次元官网网址檚 next and what we have to do.B次元官网网址�
Richard began kidney dialysis earlier this month while Tracy begins chemotherapy at the end of January. Her chemotherapy is expected to take at least five months after which a stem cell transplant will require her to stay in Vancouver for a month.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to leave him for a month,B次元官网网址� Tracy said.
As Richard prepared for dialysis, he also found out he has heart problems (requiring stent implants) as well as a hernia.
Graham Bunn, a Langford resident, is TracyB次元官网网址檚 son and RichardB次元官网网址檚 stepson.
He said dealing with the news of Tracy and Richard has been difficult on him and his brother.
B次元官网网址淚t felt like you got punched in the face once with my stepdadB次元官网网址檚 kidney and then you find out your mom has cancer and get punched in the face again,B次元官网网址� Bunn said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e my family, theyB次元官网网址檙e my loved ones.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: Langford mother donates kidney to daughter
A friend of Tracy and RichardB次元官网网址檚 set up a page to help raise money for the coupleB次元官网网址檚 everyday costs as well as costs to go to Vancouver for treatment. But they are also in search of a kidney donor.
B次元官网网址淵ou can have all the money in the world but in the end you still have cancer, you still need a kidney,B次元官网网址� Tracy said.
A few people have been tested to see if they could donate a kidney but none have worked out so far.
According to the , everyone has two kidneys but can live a healthy life with just one. Living donations give someone an alternative to dialysis or a deceased donor transplant.
Donating a kidney is the most frequent type of living organ donation and most successful of all transplant procedures.
At the moment, Bunn is in the process of being tested as is another friend of the family.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had huge support from friends and family members,B次元官网网址� Bunn said.
Tracy and Richard are also receiving a great deal of support from TracyB次元官网网址檚 parents, they said. TracyB次元官网网址檚 father beat three separate bouts of cancer and has been able to speak with Tracy about what to expect.
B次元官网网址淲e went down to the cancer clinic yesterday,B次元官网网址� Tracy said. B次元官网网址淚 looked at my father and he was starting to tear up because he knew what was to come for me and he didnB次元官网网址檛 want that.B次元官网网址�
Despite everything the couple is going through, Tracy said she is still willing to speak on RichardB次元官网网址檚 behalf and find him a kidney.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e so worried about each other that weB次元官网网址檙e not worried about ourselvesB次元官网网址tB次元官网网址檚 hard to explain,B次元官网网址� Tracy said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e so tired, we have no energy, itB次元官网网址檚 just so much stress.B次元官网网址�
Tracy and RichardB次元官网网址檚 GoFundMe page can be found
Those interested in donating a kidney can e-mail www.kidneydonornurse@vch.ca
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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