Wilmer Perera (pictured with kidney donor and brother, Williams)
Kidney Transplant Recipient
Transplant Date: September 25, 2002
Age at Transplant: 28
Home: San Francisco, California

At 28 years of age, Wilmer Perera learned that IgA nephropathy had depleted his kidney function, necessitating dialysis treatments. He had been feeling tired and was anemic as a result of his kidney disease, so in January 2002, Wilmer began hemodialysis in hopes that he would feel better. After a few weeks, Wilmer switched to peritoneal dialysis, giving himself treatments at home.

Shortly after, Wilmer’s doctor suggested a kidney transplant and in March, he was evaluated at California Pacific Medical Center. “At my evaluation I learned about living donor transplantation and that a donor didn’t necessarily have to live nearby,” says Wilmer. He contacted his family in Venezuela and his brother Williams volunteered to undergo donor testing.

“I was able to complete all the donor testing in Venezuela, and it showed that we were a very good match,” says Williams. They proceeded with planning the transplant and in September, Williams came to San Francisco 10 days in advance of the surgery date. The Kidney Team performed the final CT scan at the Medical Center and determined that Williams was a candidate for the less invasive laparoscopic nephrectomy procedure.

“The surgery wasn’t as painful as you’d imagine,” says Williams. Both he and Wilmer praised the doctors and nurses at California Pacific, noting that the nurses on the transplant floor were “very friendly and upbeat” during their stay. Following their discharge from the hospital, Wilmer and Williams have been recuperating together and catching up as brothers. “I’m grateful to my brother and would encourage others with kidney disease to explore kidney transplant,” says Wilmer. “What’s most important, though, is to be your own health advocate and to take care of yourself.”