Jason Talk

Jason Talk learned he was in end-stage renal failure when he went to the hospital with suddenly swollen legs. He started dialysis soon after that and later was told he was an unlikely fit for a kidney transplant due to complications with his veins.

“There were days where I felt like giving up; days I felt like I didn’t want to live anymore so people didn’t have to worry about me, and I didn’t have to worry about myself,” he said.

Years later, a different nephrologist told Jason that he was, in fact, a transplant candidate. Shortly after being placed on the waitlist, he received the call that he had hoped for. He rushed to Kansas City for his surgery and had a new kidney the next day.

“It took a while post-transplant to get some depression out, and I was struggling with a lot of pain,” he said. “The hardest part of a race is trying to approach the finish line, but once you cross it, then you can breathe and say, ‘It’s totally worth what I went through.’ Now, I’m glad I didn’t give up. I have everything now that I could ever have dreamed of.”

If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, call or text 988, or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org for free, confidential support.