A former professor in the United States needs a kidney transplant

MOBILE, Alabama (WKRG) – Dr. Keith Blackwell has dedicated his life to helping students.
Now he needs help.

“I need a kidney,” said Blackwell, a former professor of meteorology at the University of South Alabama. Blackwell suffers from polycystic kidney disease or PKD. PKD causes the development of cysts inside the kidneys, leading to the inability of the kidneys to function. Unfortunately, he already had to see his family suffering from this disease.

“My mother and brother were not candidates for a kidney transplant due to other health problems… My brother was actually two years younger than me, but he died three years ago… He used to be very athletic, very active outdoors and what you have. He lost, just wasted on dialysis, and I don’t want to do that. I saw it and it just gave me all this determination not to go that route, “Blackwell said. He is doing his best to stay healthy to continue to be a candidate for a living donor transplant.

During his stay in the South, Blackwell taught many courses in addition to being assisted by the Center for Coastal Weather Research. Dr. Sytske Kimball, Chair of the Department of Earth Sciences, noted his strong abilities during his teaching career. “He taught a lot of students how to make predictions, and that’s such a big part of our program. We don’t just teach the theory of meteorology; we teach our students how to make predictions, ”says Kimball.

More importantly, however, it touched the lives of both students and teachers. “He left a legacy and we want him to live a healthy and happy life and a full life for him and his family, so let’s hope there’s someone with a kidney,” Kimball said.

If you feel compelled to make a kidney donation, you can contact Dr. Blackwell at blackwellkg@gmail.com or by phone at 251-979-1386.

Click here to see the page with the original publication from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of South Alabama, which addresses the kidney donation community.