Myrtle Beach man searching for vital organ donations to stay alive

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - A Grand Strand man hopes that sharing his story will help him get two vital organs that he needs to stay alive.

“My kidneys are currently at 20%, which is the threshold to be an active member on the MUSC donor list,” said Chris Payne.

The 46-year-old DJ from Myrtle Beach is actively searching for a kidney and pancreas donation, as his health continues to decline.

“I’ve been type one diabetic since I was 18. My father has it and it’s a hereditary disease,” said Payne.

Speaking exclusively with WMBF News, Payne said once his kidney function lowers to 15%, he will have to undergo dialysis three days a week.

“I have to constantly seek care for my eyes to keep from going blind. I also have learned that year after year because of my diabetes, my kidney function will continue to lower,” said Payne.

The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston is the state’s leading hospital for organ transplants.

MORE INFORMATION | MUSC’s Living Donor Program

Dr. Teresa Rice is a transplant surgeon at MUSC and handles the donor portion of the process. She said with the advances in medical technology, donating has been made somewhat easier than in years past.

“It is very uncommon to need both a kidney and pancreas, but type one is a difficult disease to deal with, particularly as it progresses,” said Rice.

Payne has been on insulin for years to manage his diabetes and as time goes on, more challenges lie ahead. In order to receive a pancreas donation, the donor must be deceased. Kidney donations can come from living donors.

When a recipient receives a call or text about their organ donation, they have a couple of hours to get down to MUSC in Charleston. Their chances of receiving an organ increase if they choose to go with a “high-risk” donor.

“Oftentimes, there are good quality organs and anytime we complete a transplant our goal is to always give an organ that will last as many years as possible,” said Rice.

“High-risk” donors include but are not limited to people diagnosed with HIV and Hepatitis C.

“In terms of HIV, those donations would be considered for recipients who have HIV as well. In regards to Hepatitis C, those are most commonly used, and now we have oral medications that people can take that essentially cure you of Hepatitis C,” said Rice.

The options are made available to people on the list. If the potential recipient declines a “high-risk” donor, doctors would simply move on to the next person on the list.

Aimee Doyle was on the transplant list up until April of this year when she received a kidney and pancreas transplant at MUSC.

“I was on the list and they asked me if I wanted to be eligible to receive a ‘high-risk’ donor. They offered one from an HIV donor, that was a no for me. They also asked if I wanted a Hepatitis C donor,” said Doyle.

Payne and Doyle share the same kidney doctor in the Grand Strand and that doctor assured Doyle she would be okay with medication.

“I’m cured of Hep C and am no longer diabetic,” said Doyle.

Another critical component of organ donation is the recipient must have a caretaker with them for the first two weeks after the surgery to keep an eye out.

Payne lives alone and his closest family is about three-and-a-half hours away in North Carolina, so he says he may have to rely on strangers for help.

Copyright 2023 WMBF. All rights reserved.