Doug Kunze's kidney transplant

Last year, Doug Kunze learned that his kidney was doing worse than originally thought.  According to his doctors, repairing it was no longer an option and it was determined that the kidney needed to be replaced.  So Doug was placed on the kidney donor list. 

A fellow ATF Special Agent, who wishes to remain anonymous, learned of Doug’s plight and has been tested.  The testing showed that the agent was a match and that the kidney could be donated.  This agent decided to make the offer of donating his kidney and this was accepted.  They’ve done the requisite testing and everything looks like it’s good to go.  The transplant is tentatively scheduled for March or April of this year. 

This funding program is in place to try to offset the expenses that the donor and his spouse, as well as Doug and his wife, will have to incur to travel to Houston, Texas to donate the kidney.  According to the doctors, after the surgery, the donor and Doug will both have to stay in the immediate area for about three weeks to ensure that there is no rejection and/or complications from the transplant.  We are trying to raise money to offset the expenses that both families will have in having to travel to Houston and then being housed there for over three weeks.  The surgery itself will be covered by Doug’s insurance but there will always be additional expenses and co-pays that need to be made.

Doug is a recently retired Senior Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  He retired after 24 years.  While an ATF agent, Doug specialized as an ATF Certified Explosives Specialists, whose subject matter expertise was explosives.  Doug also served as a 17 year member of the ATF National Response Team (NRT).  This team travels throughout the United States and assists State and Local authorities on large scale fire and explosion investigations. 

Any donation of any size would be appreciated.