For 25-year-old Jeanette Gutierrez of Holyoke, Massachusetts, blood donors are providing her with the only effective medicine for her kidney disease, literally providing a lifeline that may be for a lifetime.

Although kidney problems began as early as age 12, the symptoms gradually worsened and resulted in a diagnosis of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS, when Jeanette was 18.

What Is FSGS?
FSGS is one of many diseases that affect kidney function by attacking the glomeruli, the tiny clusters of looping blood vessels within the kidney where blood is cleaned. Glomerulosclerosis describes the scarring or hardening of these tiny blood vessels within the kidney.

Glomerular diseases damage the glomeruli, letting blood proteins and sometimes red blood cells leak into the urine. Sometimes the disease also interferes with the clearance of waste products by the kidney, causing them to build up in the blood. FSGS may result from a systemic disorder or may develop without a known cause. No cure for FSGS has been found and most patients with FSGS progress to end stage renal failure over 5 to 20 years.

Two Kidney Transplants
This prognosis proved true in Jeanette's case. After several years of dialysis and blood transfusions, she received two kidney transplants. The first, at age 20, was rejected; however, last year she received a successful kidney donation from her brother. Even with the transplant, Jeanette must receive Therapeutic Plasma Exchange, in which her own plasma is exchanged with either donated plasma or albumin purified from donated plasma, in an effort to keep the disease under control. Red blood cells are transfused as needed. Currently this is the only treatment for Jeanette's condition.

Living Life To The Fullest
Jeanette says that, after receiving blood transfusions, she feels much better - stronger and not so weak all the time. "I'll be depending on blood donors for a long time to come. They've helped me a lot."

Despite her physical challenges, Jeanette remains very active, playing volleyball, going to the movies and the park and generally enjoying life. She is also expecting the arrival of her first child, an event she refers to as "my little miracle."

To all the blood donors who help Jeanette and others like her, she has these words: "Thank you a lot. Thanks to you, I'm here today. Keep giving blood!"

Patient Stories