PENHOLD – Every night Merrill Kean hooks up to a dialysis machine and sleeps with it for eight hours.
That’s every night for the past four months. The 62-year-old mother and grandmother could be on it every night for the rest of her life.
Or, she could get the momentous call that a healthy and compatible kidney is available for transplant. That would wipe away the disappointment of eight previous living kidney offers that couldn’t move forward because of donor health issues.
“I am not quitting. I promised to get her a kidney before she went on dialysis. I couldn’t keep my promise but I am still working on it,” said her determined husband Tom, known by many as The Colonel, an honorary pre-American Civil War title he earned after more than 50 years in the auctioneering business, including his first working years in Arkansas and the past 40 in Red Deer.
In the meantime, Merrill is on a waiting list. But there is a disturbing shortage of available kidneys, a problem fatal for many.
Manuel Escoto, communications manager for The Kidney Foundation’s Alberta and Northwest Territories branch, said in 2018 there were 382 transplants of all organ types provincewide, with 654 people on the waiting list. Out of those total figures, there were 184 kidney transplants, and a staggering 417 people on the waiting list, the latter figure for kidneys, about 64 per cent of the total organ waiting list.
“That is actually low compared to other provinces across Canada. The number is usually near 80 per cent,” said Escoto of the waiting list figures.
Merrill was diagnosed 13 years ago with a condition called focal segmental glomerulo sclerosis, a hereditary issue that afflicted her mother and mother's twin sister, as well as her brother.
Merrill’s kidney became worse over time, and is now only five per cent functional.
"You can’t live long on five per cent. You need a whole lot more to function than that,” said Merrill, whose husband was rejected four times as a possible donor due to his own medical issues.
But hope and inspiration came about two years ago when she saw Calgary’s Ryan McLennan’s billboard plea for a new kidney. The couple’s own amazing journey began.
The billboard sighting propelled Tom to begin a billboard and advertising campaign of his own, including signage pleas for up to 15 pickup trucks and SUVs, as well as posters in local businesses. Many photos of his sign pleas for Merrill have been posted on social media. The Colonel also called Penhold mayor Mike Yargeau and convinced him to allow their plea to be included on the big digital sign near the intersection of highways 2A and 42.
“We’ve never really taken into account a personal scenario like that,” said Yargeau of The Colonel’s request. “It didn’t really fit into our policy as being allowed but at the same time there was no reason not to allow it.
“Ultimately Tom is doing all the work to try to help his wife and I am glad we can play a small part for him,” said Yargeau, adding the service for the couple was free. “It’s a small gesture we can do for such a great cause.”
Tom and Merrill live on a five-acre farmstead just over six kilometres northwest of Penhold. The Colonel still runs his auctioneering business, one of the last remaining in the region.
However, his number 1 job is caring for Merrill, and he will seize any chance he can to spread the word his wife desperately needs a new kidney.
For now, however, he waits. There is plenty to do at home for Merrill, and he still has his auctioneering business.
Mostly though, The Colonel wants their story out there, not only so Merrill will live but also to help others. He’s encouraging everyone to seriously consider being on the provincial donor registry in the event of death. He also wants citizens to be aware that there is no organ transplant program or facility in Central Alberta and all surgeries must be done in either Calgary or Edmonton.
In recent years he has raised money for The Kidney Foundation by auctioning off hundreds of bicycles seized by police once a year at Penhold Elementary School.
“I take a portion of commissions and donate money on behalf of the Penhold Elementary School,” said Tom. “I don’t care how we do this we are going to get a kidney.”
If any citizen wants to help Merrill with a live donor kidney they can call her at 403-347-8988, and the Living Donor Clinic 1-866-253-6833.
For more information on becoming a living donor go to:
https://kidney.ca/Get-Involved/Be-an-Organ-Donor/Consider-Being-a-Living-Kidney-Donor
To become a registered organ donor in Alberta (deceased) go to:
