STATUS:
Waiting
My name is Kevin D. Wheeler Sr. I am 56 years old, and I am a United States Army Veteran. I served 6 years of active duty in the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bliss, TX, as a 76V (Military Storage and Handling Specialist) and served in combat during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. I enjoyed the people I had the opportunity to serve with, and being in the military allowed me the pleasure of meeting people from different countries, states, cities, and towns— forging bonds and friendships I still have 30 years later.
I currently work for the federal government in Washington, DC, as a Facilities Operations Specialist/Asset Manager. I manage all of my Bureau's Non-IT assets located in four regional offices plus our Headquarters. I enjoy the small team that I work with and my time traveling to the regional offices in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta. My wife and I have been blessed with 5 children (4 young men and 1 daughter) and 4 grandchildren (2 girls and 2 boys). My children and grandchildren keep me smiling and bring joy to my heart.
In 2010, I found out that I have Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), which is a genetic disorder that causes fluid-filled sacs, called cysts, to grow in the kidneys. The cysts can develop at any age and usually affect both kidneys. PKD is the most common inherited kidney disease and can cause serious health complications, including high blood pressure, pain in the back or sides, and headaches. The cysts cause the kidneys to enlarge, taking up a lot of space. Fortunately, I am not on dialysis at this time, but the medications to help manage the decline of my kidneys can cause me to battle fatigue from anemia, low hemoglobin, iron deficiency, and other symptoms.
My quality of life has changed with this disease. I don’t work out the way I used to, I don’t play sports like I used to, I don’t ride my motorcycle like I used to, and I don’t really get out with my youngest son (16 years old) like I used to. A lot of times, I just don’t have the motivation. I really hope to receive a living donor transplant, which would give me more time to do the things I enjoy most, like spending time with my family and friends, being able to watch my son graduate high school and go off to college, seeing my grandchildren grow into adulthood, being more active in the community, a more active member in my Masonic and Shriner organizations, recording and performing my music (which I have been doing ever since I was a little boy), and riding my motorcycle alongside my fellow Motorcycle Ministry members.
Will you join DOVE in our mission to find a kidney for Kevin? Your support, whether through spreading the word on social media or considering becoming a donor, can make a profound impact on his life and the life of his family!
Kevin has enlisted the help of a Veteran's organization called DOVE Transplant which is helping in his outreach to find his life-saving kidney donor. DOVE will assist all prospective donors throughout the process and make sure they do not incur any out-of-pocket expenses related to the evaluation or surgery.
A healthy person can live a normal life with one kidney and save this Veteran's life! Please click on the link below if you would like to learn more OR call (551) 233-1611.
Kevin Wheeler
Army Veteran
