In 2008 Keith was at his doctor’s office for a physical and his doctor suggested a urine test.

“I got the call later that there was a lot of blood in my urine,” remembers Keith. “My kidneys were functioning at 33%.”

Keith was referred to a specialist and over the years his doctors did what they could to preserve his kidney function. Eventually, when they started functioning at less than 10%, he started peritoneal dialysis.

The donor-funded NxStage machine allows Keith to dialyze at home on his own schedule, so he can continue to work any shift he wants.

“More complications started last year,” says Keith. “The line wasn’t draining properly, and after that was fixed it started leaking. I was told that I would need hemodialysis for a month at Humber River Hospital’s Wilson Site.”

Keith’s new dialysis schedule was challenging. Three times a week, he made the trip from Milton to Humber River Hospital for a four-hour treatment. Despite the Hospital and staff’s best efforts to make sure all Dialysis patients are comfortable, the journey and the treatment took a lot out of him.

“Around this time, COVID-19 started affecting the airline industry and I lost my job,” says Keith. “I also learned that I was going to continue needing hemodialysis. I wanted to find a new job. I wanted to keep working, but I didn’t know how I could make that work with hemodialysis at the Hospital three times a week.”

When Keith found a new job he expressed his concerns to his care team.

“When they got back to me they told me they had great news – there was a NxStage home-hemodialysis machine available for me,” says Keith. “After two weeks of training to use the machine myself, I started my new job.”

The donor-funded NxStage machine allows Keith to dialyze at home on his own schedule. He uses it every day while he watches TV, plays video games, or relaxes at home.

“I feel significantly better and can work any shift I want,” says Keith. “I even have more energy and a stronger appetite. Thank you to the donors who have made that possible.”