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- Kidney Companions Molly Stanifer started Kidney Companions when she realized how many people in the region were in need of a kidney transplant but lacked access to resources and social support. As Stanifer explains, to get on the waitlist for a kidney, people must provide names for two or three people available to drive them at a moment’s notice when they get the call for a transplant, “unfortunately, not everyone has two or three people.” She says this is one of the main reasons many people don’t even get on the waitlist for a transplant. Enter Kidney Companions: a volunteer organization where the first goal with every patient, says Stanifer, is to get them on the transplant list. “Renal disease disrupts normal daily activities,” explains Stanifer, “making it difficult to keep a job.” For this reason, the support many patients need goes beyond getting a transplant, extending into areas like finding and keeping secure housing and employment. Even though Traverse City is far from being a medical desert like many of the surrounding rural areas, the closest locations for patients to receive a kidney transplant are hours away in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks including transportation to and from surgeries and follow-up appointments, walking pets, and meal trains while patients recover. Patients and volunteers are also invited to participate in monthly gatherings and social activities to help patients feel less isolated. If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Molly at molly@kidneycompanions.org. Volunteer meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month.
