Roan Mountain Family Urges Living kidney Donation As Local Man Awaits Transplant
USA: A Roan Mountain family is pressing for more living donors as 66-year-old Billie Michael Fair remains on the kidney transplant list at UT Medical Center, a placement he has held since July 2025. Their appeal comes during National kidney Month, with an estimated 90,000 Americans waiting for kidney transplants and roughly 3,000 people in Tennessee alone lining up for organs—about 90% of those in the state needing kidneys specifically. The family’s story centers on the urgent human need behind those statistics.
Fair’s decline began after a serious abdominal episode in 2015 that required surgery for a torn colon; that cascade of complications left his kidneys unable to filter blood properly and his bladder severely impaired. Years of tests and setbacks led to the current reality: dialysis has become a daily routine and chronic pain limits his mobility and energy. The family describes a steady erosion of strength that makes daily life a struggle and sharpens the urgency of finding a transplant solution.
Tennessee Donor Services underscores the statewide shortage and the disproportionate demand for kidneys, which tend to fail more rapidly than other organs. The family has focused its efforts on raising awareness about living donation as a viable pathway to transplantation. They emphasize that the living donor process is confidential and that donor-related expenses are covered, aiming to correct misconceptions and reduce barriers for potential donors.
Despite the medical and emotional toll, the family conveys a steadfast hope that a living donor will emerge and change the course of Fair’s care. Their plea is both personal and public: with thousands waiting for kidneys, they want neighbors and community members to consider the life-altering impact of living donation and the concrete option it offers to accelerate transplantation and restore health.
Video originally published on 2026-03-04 19:19:39
