bordeaux Couple Embodies Living Kidney donation’s Life-Changing Potential
Bordeaux, France – Six years after Frédéric selflessly donated a kidney to Emanuella, their story isn’t just one of medical success, but a testament to the enduring power of love and a beacon of hope for the nearly six million people in France living with chronic kidney disease. Their experience underscores the profound benefits of living donation, a practice that, despite its advantages, faces notable hurdles in France due to a high rate of opposition.
Emanuella Cannevière, now national manager of the Kidney House for the renaloo association, credits Frédéric’s gift with a complete life conversion. “Living donation is the best option,I am proof!” she states,a sentiment born from navigating the challenges of immunosuppressive treatment post-transplant while dedicating herself to supporting others facing kidney disease. Frédéric, remarkably, returned to sport just six months after the operation, quipping, “a kidney or two, it’s obvious, it doesn’t change anything for me.”
Their journey began with Emanuella’s diagnosis and the realization that a transplant offered the best path forward. Frédéric immediately volunteered as a donor,initiating a process that culminated in a accomplished surgery and a deepened connection. Today, Emanuella utilizes her personal experience to guide patients and families through the complexities of kidney disease, offering peer support, medical information, and therapeutic education through Renaloo.
Chronic kidney disease is more prevalent than diabetes or cancer in France,and projections indicate it will become the fifth leading cause of death globally by 2040. While kidney transplantation demonstrably improves survival rates, quality of life, and is ultimately more cost-effective than dialysis, France’s 36% opposition rate to organ donation lags behind countries like Spain, a world leader in the field.Emanuella and Frédéric’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the life-affirming potential unlocked through living donation, urging a reevaluation of perspectives and a broader embrace of this vital medical option.
