Leo Burke has been a volunteer with the Valley Stream, Long Island fire department for ten years. He also serves as a volunteer in the department’s EMS squad.
About Leo Burke
When Leo was still in his 20s, he discovered his kidneys were failing, a result of undiagnosed and uncontrolled high blood pressure.
The Queens, NY native, whose parents came to the U.S. from Trinidad, started to research his options. Leo’s wife, Rhonda, offered to donate a kidney, but Leo refused. He was concerned that donating a kidney would impact his wife’s health and prevent her from safely getting pregnant.
But Rhonda, who had been Leo’s high school sweetheart, insisted and eventually got her way, donating a kidney to Leo in 2010. Despite Leo’s health concerns for Rhonda, she did become pregnant a year later and gave birth to their daughter Isabelle, who is now 15.
The donated kidney, however, didn’t fare as well and within three years, Leo was in need of a second transplant. This time his father Ronald stepped up and, with a full understanding that kidney donors can live normal, healthy lives, Leo accepted. The transplant took place close to Father’s Day, which gave it even greater meaning.
The second donated kidney functioned for 13 years but eventually began to fail. Leo has been on dialysis for two years, undergoing treatments three times a week.
Leo still volunteers with the fire department and EMS squad, although his service capabilities have been limited. And he still works full-time at his “real job,” overseeing the warranty department for Dejana Truck & Utility Equipment, a major supplier of customized trucks, utility and construction equipment.
Leo enjoys sports and had been an active skier and soccer player, although his sports activity now is primarily as a fan, especially of the Giants. He’d like to regain his strength so he can be a more active fire and EMS volunteer, and also give encouragement to his daughter, who is a junior firefighter and will soon be going for her driver’s license.
Leo needs a donor to help him achieve his goals.
Do you want to help Leo? Please share the link to Leo’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