Desperate to ‘live again,’ this young man hopes plea will find him a kidney

After a severe illness dramatically changed his life, a young man from Montreal and his family are urgently seeking a compatible kidney donor.

Julian Zadrozny, 25, first realized something was wrong when he began suffering from “really bad leg cramps” and other painful symptoms.

“I wasn’t able to sleep through the night,” Zadrozny recounted in an interview. “And occasionally, I was having a hard time breathing.”

Approximately six months ago, Zadrozny was diagnosed with a rare form of end-stage chronic kidney disease due to a mitochondrial defect. He notes that his condition is unusual, with only six recorded cases, and doctors are still working to understand it fully.

“There have been six cases recorded, and they’re writing a case study about me because they’ve never seen it before,” Zadrozny said.

The illness requires Zadrozny to undergo daily dialysis while he sleeps, spending 10 hours each day in bed. The condition has made studying difficult due to brain fog, and even simple movements are exhausting.

“Generally, I have a hard time if I go up some stairs,” he said. “I’m out of breath, and it’s really difficult.”

Zadrozny and his partner, Kayleigh Tooke, are navigating challenges they never anticipated and facing a steep learning curve. Tooke, who works full-time, has had to adjust to new responsibilities at home. Initially, she was concerned about accidentally causing harm to Zadrozny through affectionate gestures or mistakes in his treatment.

She has learned to set up the dialysis machine, including handling the tubes and bags, but it remains challenging and occasionally problematic.

“It’s always hard when you see someone you love in pain. I personally have a lot of stress about it,” Tooke said.

The couple is now trying to find a kidney donor, but Zadrozny notes that the wait time can be four to five years.

Zadrozny is not alone in this struggle. According to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, 73 percent of Canadians requiring an organ transplant in 2023 were waiting for a kidney.

Even if a match is possible through the medical system, Zadrozny says it involves balancing needs with other patients in similar situations.

“They balance it with people who might need it more, like those who have been on dialysis longer,” he said. “In Quebec, there are quite a few people, and across Canada, about 40,000 people are on dialysis.”

The longer the wait, the tougher it becomes for Zadrozny.

“Your body doesn’t get stronger. You eventually get weaker, and it’s always going to be tough,” he said, explaining that a new kidney could give him the chance to “live again.”

The couple has launched a public campaign to find a living donor with a compatible kidney. Potential donors must have blood type O, be in good health, and be willing to donate.

“It is a very long process, and you’re saving someone years of their life,” he said. “You’re giving them back the joy of life and the chance to do the things they love.”