All Trucker’s Family Wants For Christmas Is “Living Angel” To Save His Life

Sandown, New Hampshire – UPDATE: Last month in a Transportation Nation Network exclusive report we introduced you to 34-year-trucking veteran Mark Boomhower and his wife Tammy and revealed the battle the couple is facing.

As an experienced trucker, Mark has carefully pre-planned many trips and is no stranger to analyzing the fastest routes in order to best optimize his time. However, Mark is now on a route no one would ever want to be on and taking a trip that could be his last. Mark is suffering from kidney failure.

He told us in an exclusive interview last month that his kidney function is at 12%, and when it inevitably worsens to 5%, doctors will start him on dialysis. The couple told us of their efforts to find a kidney donor, preferably a living-donor, that could save Mark’s life.

Upon Mark’s diagnosis, Tammy immediately offered to donate one of her kidneys. So did several of Mark’s family and friends. However, all have been declined due to various reasons. The requirements to be a living donor are somewhat stringent.

Tammy then began making vinyl car signs for family and friends with the message “Kidney Needed For Mark. Will You Share Your Spare?” in the hopes someone would see them and offer to help.

She even turned Mark’s tractor-trailer into a moving billboard the couple prays could save his life. “We thought, why not put it on the truck too?” Tammy told us. “What else do people have to do, sitting in traffic for hours? Let them sit there and read this,” Mark added.

“Praying The New Year Will Bring Us His Living Angel”

The Boomhower’s were thrilled when a 23-year-old female team truck driver saw the news about Mark’s diagnosis and worsening condition and offered to donate her kidney. Their joy was short-lived. “They disqualified her because of her age. They would like you to be at least 25,” Mark told us.

The couple has not lost hope, but they are losing precious time as they continue searching for a donor. Tammy took to the Mark Needs A Kidney Facebook page last week to provide an update for those following the Boomhower’s journey.

In her update Tammy writes,

“most of the people that have tried [to donate] were denied for one reason or another. There are a few people that filled out the questionnaire but she [donation coordinator] has never heard anything else from these people.”

There are some people who want to donate but have yet to begin the health testing process in order to determine if they meet the donation requirements. Tammy says they are,

“praying one of these people are healthy enough and will be his perfect match.”

Tammy says she “hates watching him [Mark] decline” and “can’t wait” for the busy Christmas season to be over, so potential donors might slow down long enough to consider donating.

As we all experience the Christmas and holiday season the Boomhower’s are asking for the greatest gift one person could give to another. The gift of life. Tammy so beautifully put it this way,

“Praying that the new year will bring us his living angel.”

We do too Tammy. We do too.

If you are interested in donating, the first step is by visiting bwh.donorscreen.org to fill out a medical screening questionnaire. You can also email the Boomhower’s directly at markneedsakidney@comcast.net and learn more about Mark at the “Mark Needs a Kidney” website.