ROBERT HALL

 

 

 

 

Have you ever wanted to make a difference in someone's life . . . or better yet, save a life? Well, today is the day you can begin to make that happen.

 

Hi, I'm Elizabeth Hall. Robert Hall, or Bobby, as he is known to family and friends, is my husband. He's also a brother, son, uncle, and friend to many. Let me tell you a little about him. 

 

Bobby, 45, is a marketing and sales representative for a security systems company. He enjoys writing poetry and has a gentle, caring heart. He adores wildlife--especially birds and panda bears--and loves to visit zoos. He’s an avid sports enthusiast, and as a resident of the Washington, D.C. metro area, is a devoted fan of the Redskins and Capitals. Oh, and Bobby has a GREAT sense of humor! He loves to kid and clown around, tell stories, and make people laugh. Everyone has a good time when Bobby's around.

 

Hypertension and diabetes--the two most common causes of kidney disease--run in Bobby’s family. He lost his father and his older brother to complications of diabetes and kidney disease. Bobby, too, has diabetes. Fortunately, he has been able to control it with diet and exercise and is not dependent on insulin. Sadly though, he was diagnosed with kidney disease several years ago, and the disease has advanced quickly. He now needs a kidney transplant in order to survive. 

 

Recently, Bobby began the transplant evaluation process at the Georgetown University Hospital Transplant Institute. During this time, we learned that thousands are waiting for deceased-donor kidneys and have been waiting for many years. In our area of the country, the average wait for a deceased-donor kidney is about five years. For many reasons, a kidney patient's best chance for survival is to receive a kidney from a living rather than a deceased donor. Because of this and the long wait for a deceased-donor kidney, Georgetown's transplant team has recommended that we seek a living donor. 

 

Bobby is not on dialysis yet. However, his nephrologists have told him that going on dialysis is inevitable . . . within the next few months. But dialysis is a poor substitute  for a kidney and cannot sustain the body indefinitely. It can do only about 10% of the work that a functioning kidney can do and frequently causes other severe health problems. Consequently, the average life expectancy of a person on dialysis is only about 5 years. 

 

Bobby has Type O blood, but because Georgetown participates in paired donation, a person of any blood type can donate. Bobby’s insurance covers a donor’s transplant-related medical expenses, including testing and follow-up. You need not be a resident of the Washington, D.C. or the Georgetown areas in order to donate. For those who live far away, programs are available to cover the costs of transportation, lodging, meals, and car rental.  

 

Would you consider giving Bobby the Gift of Life by sharing your spare kidney? If you would like to be tested to see if you are a match, please contact Alvanetta Cribbs at 202-444-3714 for a donor application. Or, you may e-mail her at cribbsa@gunet.georgetown.edu. You will be asked for Bobby’s full name and date of birth: Robert Craig Hall, D.O.B 12/29/1967.  

 

If you would like to learn more about Bobby, follow his journey, or contact him personally, you may do so via his Facebook page or Twitter.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read Bobby's story. We appreciate your concern and prayers. If you are unable to donate but would like to help, please share this with friends, family, and co-workers by clicking the icons below.

 

                                                                  Thanks so very much,

                                                                  Elizabeth Hall