South Glens Falls man takes unique approach to find organ donor
GLENS FALLS, NY(NEWS10) — A man from South Glens Falls felt he needed to do more to raise awareness about his case. If you're around the Glens Falls area, you might have seen his sign while driving from Glens Falls to South Glens Falls.
The man behind the sign is 67-year-old John Hoey. He has polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder he didn't know he had because he was adopted. He found out after a serious car crash when he was a young adult.
“I was 27 years old. I had an accident where I had a truck pin me and lacerated my kidney and fractured three ribs and went to the hospital,” said Hoey.
While John was in the hospital, he was told that he had PKD, but the doctor let him know it wouldn't affect him much until he got older, and that doctor was right.
“Fifties, mid-sixties, I guess it was, I developed kidney stones,“ said Hoey.
They couldn't do surgery because his veins were too small and his kidney function was declining. John began dialysis to help pass the stones and is now on the transplant list for a living donor. He also has a rare B-positive blood type. This blood type is found in only about 9% of the population, according to the Red Cross.
That’s when he knew he needed to try and reach a broader audience.
“What can I do to make things better, to try to enhance it? I put posters in the hardware store, and I said there's gotta be another way. That's when I get this idea to put a banner up down there,” Hoey said.
On Route 9, specifically on the line between South Glens Falls and Glens Falls.
“I know that 30-40,000 people cross this bridge to work every day,” Hoey.
Not only that, but John also made a magnetic sticker that sticks to the back of his truck in hopes that someone will see it.
“It's not gonna beat me. I've had that attitude ever since,” said Hoey.
If you have a B-positive blood type and want to help, contact John Hoey at 518-955-9560.