37 Years After Childhood Transplant, Kidney Recipient On Dialysis Urgently Seeks Blood Type O Living Donor

Mark Weedn Seeks Living kidney Donor After Nearly Four-Decade Transplant Journey

USA: Mark Weedn, 41, is in urgent need of a living kidney donor after a long, complicated history of kidney transplantation and medication-related decline. His medical journey began in childhood and included an early transplant in 1987 performed in Pittsburgh because the procedure was not being done in Oklahoma at the time. That initial transplantation and decades of immunosuppressive medications sustained him for nearly 40 years but ultimately contributed to organ damage that has left him on dialysis today.

Weedn and his family describe a life narrowed by thrice-weekly treatments and depleted energy, and they say a new transplant would be life-changing — offering freedom from dialysis and a chance to reclaim normal daily activities. Family members have stepped forward to be evaluated, but relatives have been unable to qualify to donate due to age, diabetes, or other health issues. His mother, identified as Sue Weedn, has been a visible part of the search and advocacy effort on his behalf.

Medical details in the appeal are specific: Weedn is blood type O and is actively seeking a compatible living kidney donor. The family highlights advances in transplantation medicine and immunosuppression that make recipients’ lives better today than decades ago, even as earlier treatment regimens took a toll. The anniversary of his original transplant — March 9th, marking 37 years — has become a focal point for outreach and renewed urgency in finding a match.

Video originally published on 2026-02-24 11:34:11