Privacy is often a valued treasure in small communities where the lines between neighbors blur and fences are more symbolic than physical. For Judd Dunn, a devoted father of three and a steadfast community member, this privacy has become a double-edged sword in his battle against kidney disease.
About Judd Dunn
One of the most challenging aspects of living with kidney disease is asking someone to donate a kidney, especially for those who are accustomed to helping others rather than seeking help. This reality became pressing for the Dunn family, who reside in a tight-knit farming and ranching community in Southeast Idaho.
For Judd, the message was clear: For him to survive kidney disease, Melissa, his wife, needed to be his voice. “You have to let your wife say what you humbly can’t,” said Judd’s kidney coordinator.
Judd has been grappling with kidney disease for five years. His struggles are not just his own but also ripple through his family, touching every aspect of their lives.
Living just steps away from the Teton mountain range but hours away from a regional hospital has disrupted family activities and traditions. Yet, amid these challenges, they continue to find beauty and strength in other areas of their life as they raise their children with hope and resilience.
“Kidney disease has tested our limits while revealing our strengths,” said Melissa. “We’re learning, growing, and becoming better people through it all."
Judd and Melissa’s children have encountered challenges incomprehensible to many of their peers. “They’ve had hard times, and when they get a note at school saying they’re going home with someone else because of Judd’s health, they know what those notes mean,” Melissa explains. “They know their dad is not well.”
The Dunns have experienced invaluable lessons and developed new skills. “We’re learning to be better people. We’ve learned how to do dialysis at home, and we’re finding out we’re very capable,” Melissa says. Despite the hardships, the children’s activities, like 4-H Club, Future Farmers of America, and sports remain integral to their lives. “We still attend all the games and keep that part of life alive, even if nobody else has always known what’s going on,” Melissa says.
She speaks candidly about the dual nature of their experience. “It’s beautiful and hard all together,” she says. “But overall, we’re just raising beautiful children. I hope they walk away from this better for it. I hope they see through to people’s needs and carry great and grand hearts forever.”
Judd shares, “As big of a trial as living in kidney failure is, we are going to choose to live each day the best we know how. Tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us. My kids and my wife are my entire world, and when the day comes and I may not be here, I want them to say I lived for them!”
Do you want to help Judd and his family? Please share the link to Judd’s story or reach out to Kidneys for Communities at info@kidneysforcommunities.org to learn more about how you can help. The Kidneys for Communities team is here to answer your questions.
KIDNEY DONATION
How does kidney donation work?
A donor doesn’t need to be an exact match. In fact, because of the Nobel Prize-winning paired kidney exchange program, your kidney donation will not only save one life, but it will save several more in the chain.
Living kidney donation is safe, and all costs associated with your donation are covered. Living donor kidneys also last much longer than deceased donor kidneys. A deceased donor kidney transplant, on average, lasts 10-15 years while a living donor transplant lasts 12-20 years.
Kidneys for Communities® Donor Benefits
Donating a kidney is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling acts someone can do.
Kidneys for Communities can help you through the process to help save a life, but we know there are many obstacles that can be prohibitive to the donor. At Kidneys for Communities, we take care of our donors with the industry’s most complete donor benefits package:
Onboarding and education
Personalized guidance through the donation process
Anonymity
Cost reimbursements:
Travel, food & lodging, lost wages, child, pet and adult care