HAMPTON, Va. — 48-year-old Tara Lonberger's hooked up to a dialysis machine for eight hours a night. It cleans her blood because her kidney can't.
"Dialysis is a blessing, it really is, but it can be a double-edged sword at times too," explained Tara Lonberger of Hampton.
She was born with one kidney. She also has a genetic disorder called Alport Syndrome. It's causing her kidney to fail.
"I was scared, you know. I have a lot of responsibility. I have a big family. I have a son who is autistic. My other two sons have Alport Syndrome. They all three are severe hemophiliacs. And now I have a niece and nephew who live with me due to my sister passing away unexpectedly two years ago," said Tara.
The added challenge, she told News 3, is her sons will eventually need kidney transplants too.
Her husband Steve has been by her side through it all, her self-described "kidney advocate."
"My goal was to get her on the list," said Steve Lonberger of Hampton.
Tara's now on both Sentara and VCU's lists. She's waiting to be matched with a deceased kidney donor.
"You can't be away. If they call and say we have a match for you, you need to get here. You need to get here," explained Tara.
Sentara Norfolk General Kidney Transplant Program has performed 22 kidney transplants already this year. But their list of people waiting is long — it is 480 people. Tara's wait time is expected to be three to five years.
"It can feel almost hopeless. Three years seems like forever, it doesn't sound like it, I think, to a lot of people," said Tara.
The family's hoping to find a living donor before then.
A spokesperson for Sentara explained that a living donor can significantly expedite the process — turning a years-long wait into months. Typically, living donor kidneys do a better job than dialysis and last longer than a deceased donor kidney.
A living donor can be a blood relative, spouse, friend, or someone who simply wants to help. They can identify the patient the wish to get their kidney and even if they don't match with blood and tissue, the donor's kidney can be entered into a paired exchange program.
"They just swap it out. So it might be a match for someone else and then their donor would be a match for me," explained Tara. She added that the donor's procedure is expected to be covered by her insurance.
It's been a hard road for the family, and Steve said Tara plays it down, but together they won't stop hoping they'll find a match.
"Because I love her. We need her. We want her around. She's a tough woman. She's been through a lot. And she can get through this. We'll figure it out," said Steve.
If you'd like to help learn more about Sentara's living donor kidney transplants here.
You can fill out Sentara's donor registration screening form here.
Learn more about and begin VCU's evaluation for living kidney donation here.
