Roanoke – Chronic kidney disease affects a significant portion of the population, with the CDC estimating that 1 in 7 adults are impacted. In Virginia alone, over 2,300 individuals are currently on the waitlist for a kidney transplant. As a system, Carilion has nearly 40,000 patients with chronic kidney disease, more than 5,000 of whom are approaching or experiencing renal failure.
Carilion Clinic made its case to the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Certificate of Public Need on Tuesday, seeking approval to open a kidney transplant center at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Currently, the closest transplant center is located at UVA Hospital in Charlottesville, a significant distance for many patients in the region. Carilion Clinic filed a certificate of public need with the state early last year, emphasizing the growing demand for such services in Roanoke and surrounding areas.
28-year-old Joey Shervey of Franklin County is one of those patients. He was diagnosed with stage 5 renal failure in 2022 when he was only 26 years old. He had no warning or family history. He found out soon after he went to the doctor for what he thought was only a sinus infection.
Reflecting on his then-dialysis routine, Joey described it as his “human oil change,” a process he once endured four times a day, later reduced to three times every six hours. Fortunately, Joey received a donor kidney, and his transplant surgery at UVA was successful. However, at just 28 years old, Joey acknowledges that this is not the end of his journey. “For me being so young, I will need multiple transplants in my life. This isn’t a permanent thing,” Joey said.
The Need for Localized Care
Joey’s experience highlights the need for treatment options closer to home. The long drives to Charlottesville and the occasional need for hotel stays are a strain on the patient and their family. Joey and his wife Jessica are an advocate for the establishment of a kidney transplant center at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, emphasizing the benefits of having care within reach. “If anyone could have it closer to home, closer to their support system, their place of strength, it would take off so much weight off of their mind just to be able to make a quick trip to Roanoke,” Joey explains.
Community Support and Advocacy
Joey’s testimony is supported by hundreds of letters from the community, all advocating for Carilion’s request to open a transplant center. Joey was one of the witnesses that spoke in front of the DOCPN on behalf of Carilion Tuesday.
In a previous interview with WSLS 10, Dr. David Salzberg, a transplant surgeon at Carilion Clinic, underscores the importance of accessible care. “We need to bring this treatment back home to these patients. We need to bring it to their back door, and make it not only convenient, but accessible. Accessible care means less risk to the patient and more thorough care to the patient leading to a better outcome,” he states.
Challenges and Opposition
Despite the overwhelming support, Carilion faces opposition from UVA, which argues that the new program would divert patients from their existing services. However, for patients like Joey, the prospect of having care close to home is nothing short of life-changing.
Sidney Vaught, a patient in Roanoke advocating for the new center, expressed frustration with the current situation. “I think that is ridiculous actually,” Vaught said. “So many people, not just here in Roanoke, but in outlying areas, have to drive even further to Charlottesville.”
While Carilion officials would not speak on camera about Tuesday’s meeting, they released this statement to WSLS 10:
You can write a letter to help the cause here.
Read more WSLS 10 articles about Carilion’s proposal here.