Darryl Gagnon wants nothing more than to live to meet his future grandkids, and he乌鸦传媒檚 hoping there乌鸦传媒檚 a hero somewhere out there who乌鸦传媒檚 willing to help make it happen.

The Semiahmoo Secondary alum, now 48, was put on a transplant list 乌鸦传媒渁 couple weeks乌鸦传媒� ago, about two years after learning 乌鸦传媒� by sheer chance 乌鸦传媒� that his kidneys were failing.

The news came after Gagnon乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渇ourth new doctor in five years乌鸦传媒� sent him for blood tests as part of a routine checkup. The lab work was something that, for no particular reason beyond the shifting physician coverage, hadn乌鸦传媒檛 been requisitioned for some time, he said.

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While the father of four had no reason to suspect anything was amiss 乌鸦传媒� no symptoms whatsoever, in fact 乌鸦传媒� the results showed his kidneys乌鸦传媒� filtration levels were 乌鸦传媒渄angerously low.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚t was already quite reduced by the time I found out,乌鸦传媒� Gagnon said Friday (April 29). 乌鸦传媒淚t would have been nice to learn this years ago and maybe I could乌鸦传媒檝e cut the salt out and drank more water a long time ago.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 not sure how it slipped through the cracks.乌鸦传媒�

Last week, following word a live donor was his best chance at a long life, Gagnon乌鸦传媒檚 wife Amy posted an appeal on Facebook, describing her husband as someone who 乌鸦传媒渓ives for his kids.乌鸦传媒�

The stay-at-home dad spends months every year planning a game-show themed Christmas morning just to see their eyes light up, and is similarly dedicated to making annual camping trips an experience to remember, recently organizing a Big Brother-style adventure.

He 乌鸦传媒渘eeds a longer life to watch his kids graduate high school, get married, and have what he can乌鸦传媒檛 wait for乌鸦传媒�,乌鸦传媒� the Facebook post states.

乌鸦传媒淲e can乌鸦传媒檛 live without him,乌鸦传媒� Amy told Peace Arch News. 乌鸦传媒淗e just wants to see his kids grow up.乌鸦传媒�

According to the Kidney Foundation, kidneys are the most common living-organ donation and, the procedure is the most successful of all transplants. This is partly due to the increased time the process allows for tissue-matching, which reduces the risk of organ rejection.

On average, a kidney from a deceased donor lasts 10 to 15 years, while one from a living donor lasts 15 to 20 years, the site adds.

乌鸦传媒淜nowing that most of my grandkids are coming 10, 15 years from now, (six months to six years on dialysis is) about the most that I have if I don乌鸦传媒檛 get this,乌鸦传媒� Gagnon said.

The Gagnons乌鸦传媒� kids range in age from 12 to 24 years. The family has called Cloverdale home for 18 years, but Gagnon乌鸦传媒檚 ties to the Semiahmoo Peninsula 乌鸦传媒� where he still has family and friends 乌鸦传媒� remain strong.

While he and Amy will mark 25 years married later this year, they learned while dating that he had first made her laugh long before that, when she was in Grade 9 at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary and attended an improv show he乌鸦传媒檇 hosted at Semi.

乌鸦传媒淔or years, my brother and I talked about this funny guy who was at the show,乌鸦传媒� Amy said. 乌鸦传媒淎nd then when Darryl and I were dating, he said, 乌鸦传媒榯hat was me.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淗e was such a standout, the funniest guy there.乌鸦传媒�

A knack for comedy landed Gagnon on Montreal乌鸦传媒檚 Just for Laughs stage for a year, and he said he was offered a mini tour of the West Coast when he was in his early 20s. But he knew what he really wanted was a family.

乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 always been my priority,乌鸦传媒� he said.

A registered organ donor himself, Gagnon said he realizes handing over an organ is no small ask, and it乌鸦传媒檚 a question he乌鸦传媒檚 not specifically put to family members, feeling that 乌鸦传媒渋f they want to donate, they will.乌鸦传媒�

Amy said she 乌鸦传媒渟at with it for awhile乌鸦传媒� before making the Facebook post.

乌鸦传媒淗ow do you go about asking someone for that? It乌鸦传媒檚 so hard and so difficult,乌鸦传媒� she said.

Many pledged to share the post and at least one commenter has said they have the same Type O blood as Gagnon, and have reached to the hospital about donating. Another said they didn乌鸦传媒檛 know their blood type, 乌鸦传媒渂ut I am going to find out and pray that I can help you my friend.乌鸦传媒�

Gagnon said he has been touched by the response.

乌鸦传媒淚t was nice to know that the few people I乌鸦传媒檝e let into my life definitely think it乌鸦传媒檚 worth sharing,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淣ice to see that I乌鸦传媒檓 loved.乌鸦传媒�

Not everyone can qualify as a donor, however, and the process of determining if someone is a match is rigorous. Just 17 per cent of those who put their names in the hat qualify, Gagnon said.

The process is also anonymous, with recipients only informed of a match when it乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒済o time.乌鸦传媒�

All living donation is managed through Vancouver General Hospital and St. Paul乌鸦传媒檚 Hospital Pre-Assessment Transplant Clinics.

Anyone wishing to explore being a living donor for Gagnon may email kidneydonornurse@vch.ca, quoting registration number 24342.

Gagnon quipped that if he does find a match, and that individual identifies him or herself to him, they can expect huge thank yous in the years to come.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檒l be constantly sending them updates of me holding grandchildren, me going on vacation乌鸦传媒� they乌鸦传媒檇 definitely be my hero,乌鸦传媒� he said.

乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檇 be on my mind everyday, for the rest of my life.乌鸦传媒�

In the meantime, he said he乌鸦传媒檚 made it his mission to encourage others to get their kidney function tested regularly.