Meet Brian Martindale, the Michigan man who brought his Kidneys for Kids mission to Wilmington
WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) -- A cross-country journey to find kidneys for children waiting for a transplant made its way to the Philadelphia region.
On Thursday, the Michigan man leading that mission stopped in Wilmington.
For living kidney donations to children, those organs have to come from adults. And one man has dedicated his life to finding more donors
Brian Martindale knows all about emotional encounters.
At Nemours Children's Hospital, Gwen Anderson's, son, Jason, needs a kidney transplant.
Wilmington is Martindale's latest stop in his cross-country journey to help strangers get transplants.
"The trip is called 'Driving For Life' and that's exactly what I'm doing," Martindale said.
Martindale was first inspired by the sign below – a little girl who was a stranger needed a kidney transplant and he became the donor.
"I can't see a child suffering when there is something I can do," Martindale said.
Martindale's mission is called "Kidneys for Kids." He's traveling the country hoping to inspire others to do what he did.
"You have a spare kidney. Your body can run on one just like mine has for the last 10 years. I'm 61, I'm healthy," Martindale said.
Kidneys from living donors like Martindale tend to be better for transplant and last longer.
"There are over 2,000 children waiting for a kidney transplant," Dr. Stephen Dunn, the transplant chief of Neumors Children's Health, said.
Dr. Dunn is hoping for more donors like Martindale.
"It's unfathomable that there are people out there that really want to help kids like Jason," Gwen Anderson said.
The 17-year-old was born with a genetic condition that damaged his kidneys. He's been on the transplant waiting list for three years.
Now, he's hoping Martindales Kidneys for Kids will lead to the donation he's been waiting for.
"I think it's wonderful and I'm glad we have people like him," Jason said.
Martindale says giving the gift of life is beyond rewarding.
"It is a life changing experience that you will not experience anything like this in your life as far as giving life to somebody else," Martindale said.
The cost of being a kidney donor is usually covered by the recipient's insurance.
Doctors say donating a kidney is safe, but like with any surgery, there are some risks.
