The operation was successful and Jeff is making a full recovery. I’m helping him get better each day. Jeff, Hector and I want to thank you for visiting the site and for your interest. I’m happy to know my buddy will be able to take me on walks and provide as many belly rubs as I want for many years ahead.
Jeff is the owner of COHN, a Denver marketing company, which he created in 2000 and today is its CEO. This company has created upwards of 35 professional jobs for people, won lots of national awards and was twice named one of Denver’s best places to work. It’s also very dog friendly, which I love.
About a year ago, Jeff was bloating and puffy. He went to the doctor and learned that he has chronic kidney disease. His kidney function was dropping rapidly and immediate action was required. This was likely due to genetics as both of his parents had kidney disease.
After having a catheter surgically implanted, Jeff began training for something called Peritoneal Dialysis or PD. PD is done at home every night. PD works to “clean” the body using the peritoneal cavity and osmosis. Yes, osmosis! Each morning, Jeff identifies how much excess fluid was pulled off overnight. We constantly check his weight, blood pressure, temperature, and blood sugars each night and each morning. It’s an amazing system.
But PD is really only a bridge to the real long-term solution…A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT.
Jeff has gone through many tests and was accepted into Denver’s Presbyterian St. Lukes Transplant Center and Centura Porter Transplant Program in February. Jeff has been told he is a prime candidate for a transplant and with it upwards of 20+ years of normal living!
So he is now on the big regional list for what are referred to as “deceased kidneys.” These kidneys are hard to get and the wait could be as long as 7 years for Jeff’s blood type. That’s a really long time, especially in dog years.
Jeff is a Type B and can accept a Type B or Type O kidney—but anyone can donate because of the paired donation process. The fastest route to a transplant is to find a willing “Living Donor.” Living Donors can be from someone we know, or someone that wants to be altruistic and save a life. Living Donor transplants have a longer life span, and PSL’s transplant unit has one of the top outcomes in the nation.
A voluntary Living Donor transplant, as soon as sometime in 2020 or 2021, could allow Jeff to get back to full steam ahead in his life, relationships and business. It also sets us up for years of happiness, travel, and all of life’s bounty of things to do.
Jeff needs a healthy kidney—and I need him to have one. Since people can live a long and healthy life with one kidney, donors like you can provide a kidney with minimal concern.
Jeff has had a tough year and is motivated, ready and grateful to anyone that will consider this incredible gift of love, kindness and health.
The process starts with filling out an application here and getting tested to see if there is a match. Jeff’s insurance pays for any costs to the donor. If the donor lives outside of Denver, there are ways to cover travel costs.
To submit an application you will need Jeff’s full name and birthday: Jeff Cohn, 5/28/59.
Jeff is being considered for transplant at Centura Porter Hospital. If you are interested in being considered for donation, please contact Centura Porter Transplant Center.
As his Champion, I am here to answer all your questions and if you would like to learn more about how you may be able to help, please contact me. My other human Hector will translate my barks and reply on my behalf.
Please also share this website, JeffNeedsAKidney.com, with everyone in your social channels and others who may be interested in helping us out. As a reminder, it can be a total stranger to Jeff or me as there are many altruistic donors.
Thank you so much for considering this beautiful act of donating a kidney.
All the best,
Cooper Doodle Cohn
(and his pal Hector)