KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Billy Jarvis was just 21 years old when he received a devastating diagnosis – he needed a full kidney transplant. Jarvis was a freshman at The University of Tennessee and had plans for a career, family, and much more ahead of him.
Jarvis knew a transplant could be in his future as several members of his family were affected by a rare disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare disease in which scar tissue develops on the small parts of the kidneys that filter waste from the blood.
His first donation came from his father, but his body rejected it. Jarvis began dialysis, spending 4-5 hours a day at the clinic for treatments.
Jarvis’ condition worsened, and he was told he had but two weeks to live when he received life-changing news. A young man, only 17 years old, had tragically died in a car accident. But there was a silver lining – that young man had chosen to be an organ donor. Because of this decision, Jarvis’ life was saved.