FOREST, Va. (WSET) — For Todd Brooks, life has taken a challenging turn as he spends hours each week connected to a dialysis machine, a lifeline as he awaits a kidney transplant.
“I still try to keep going… keep moving,” Brooks said. He is battling polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary condition that has plagued his family for generations.
His father succumbed to the disease, and his twin sister, Trina Layne, has also faced its challenges.
“We watched our dad suffer with a disease,” Layne said. “For us, you knew we were facing dialysis; we didn’t know what that was going to be like for us.”
In 2017, Layne’s life changed when she wrote a message on her car seeking a kidney donor. “The story went viral on Facebook, and it reached you guys, so you guys did a story on me,” she said.
In 2017, Layne’s life changed when she wrote a message on her car seeking a kidney donor. { } (Credit: Trina Layne)
READ MORE: Local woman receives long-awaited kidney transplant after donor sees story
Shortly after the coverage, Layne received a kidney donor, and now she hopes the same for her brother.
Brooks dreams of feeling better and returning to the mountains, a passion that requires physical strength.
To feel better, I like to go in the mountains, and that can be physical. I hope to do that again,” he said.
John Cardwell, a physician’s assistant with Lynchburg Nephrology, emphasized the transformative potential of a transplant.
“A transplant can restore your life pretty close to normal. You can pretty much eat what you want, you can travel,” Cardwell said.
Brooks’ son, Jared, expressed the emotional toll of waiting. “It’s pretty sad, you know… the thought of losing someone,” he said.
This Christmas, Brooks hopes for a gift that won’t be found under a tree but from a stranger willing to give him hope.
Asking for someone to send me an angel, I guess. Because that’s what they are… a living donor… there’s no doubt about it,” Brooks said.
To learn more about kidney donations, click here. To contact Brooks’ transplant coordinator, Karen Huber, call 804-628-0712.
