Kidney Transplant Patient “Goes the Distance” for Care

Bruce Walitalo, 59, had been living with diabetes for many years when a concerning new symptom appeared.

“It was 2020 during the COVID pandemic when my ankle and foot suddenly became swollen,” Bruce said. “I went to see my doctor about it, and tests showed my kidneys were failing.” 

To his great surprise, Bruce was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease and needed a transplant. That is when his life changed dramatically. 

“I went for dialysis three times a week for four hours each time,” he shared. “It was like having a full-time job.” Bruce remained on dialysis for three and a half years while he was waitlisted for a kidney transplant.

Choosing Care
As longtime resident of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Bruce was able to receive care locally for his diabetes and kidney disease in Houghton. However, he needed to go elsewhere to receive a hoped-for transplant.

He had two choices: Go to the medical center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison or choose a health system in Michigan. 

It was a six-month wait to get an appointment in Wisconsin, so Bruce chose the Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center – Grand Rapids Campus because he has cousins living in Grand Rapids.  

Making the drive from just south of Houghton, Michigan, to Grand Rapids was a commitment. “It takes nine hours one way,” Bruce shared. “But it was worth it.” 
Thankfully, family members helped transport Bruce to his pre-waitlist and transplant appointments, and to many of the follow-up visits after his transplant in September 2024.

It’s Go Time!
Bruce’s family members were unable to donate a kidney, but he was able to receive a kidney from a deceased donor.

On the day Trinity Health contacted Bruce about an available kidney, he didn’t hear the call because his phone had fallen between the cushions in his furniture. 

“My ex-brother in-law was also on the call list for the clinic, and he came over to tell me he got a call from a lady ‘about a kidney,’” Bruce said. “By the time I called the lady back, it was 11 p.m. I quickly called my sister, who lives nearby, to drive me to Grand Rapids right away.”

Bruce had met his surgeon, Joel Green, MD, before the surgery, but he was surprised by the number of doctors on his team in the hospital. “All the doctors were caring and compassionate,” he said.

The Transplant
Bruce’s surgery went smoothly. Although he had mild hardening of the arteries from long-term diabetes, the surgery was successful without any complications.

“Bruce received a kidney from a deceased donor, which was transported to us on ice,” Dr. Green shared. “As is the case with many kidneys from deceased donors, Bruce’s new kidney did not work perfectly right away.”

He had to do dialysis for a few weeks after surgery while the kidney recovered from its long, frozen journey outside of a body.

“However, within a few weeks, the new kidney was working well, and he was able to quit dialysis,” Dr. Green added.

Bruce stayed in the hospital five days after his transplant. 

“The nurses were so good to me,” said Bruce. “You couldn’t find any better place to be than in Grand Rapids. At home I sleep in a recliner because I get congested. The nurses took the time to find me a recliner and bring it into my hospital room so I could sleep better.” 

That act of kindness meant a lot to Bruce.

After his discharge from the hospital, Bruce stayed with his oldest son who lives in the “thumb” area of Michigan — making the drive to his weekly follow-up appointments much shorter than from his home.

“While I was staying at my son’s house, Dr. Green called me just to check up on me,” Bruce said. “I was so surprised. He cared enough to call. We don’t get that kind of care in the Upper Peninsula.” 

Once Bruce’s follow-up appointments were scheduled for a month apart, he moved back to his home in Houghton. Luckily, another of his sons and his daughter-in-law were temporarily staying at his home. It worked out great for Bruce to have live-in help for follow-up care.

Time-Saving Transportation
Making the long drive to Grand Rapids was grueling for Bruce, not to mention inconvenient for Bruce’s family members.

His Trinity Health social worker listened to his concerns and was able to point Bruce to Wings of Mercy, a medical charity based in Zeeland, Michigan, that offers free flights to qualifying patients who cannot afford to take commercial flights to receive medical care.

This solution saves Bruce both time and money. A flight to Grand Rapids on Wings of Mercy takes an hour and a half compared to the nine hours of driving.

“Now my only cost to travel for a checkup is to get an Uber from the airport to the clinic and back,” Bruce said. “I have flown twice with Wings of Mercy. It’s my first time flying too. They are a godsend.”

 

The Contrast
At his most recent appointment, Bruce’s kidney function was documented to be in the normal range for an adult male. His life has visibly improved since his transplant.

“Dialysis wore me out. I’m still tired, but I am getting stronger,” Bruce said. “When I first got the kidney, my back was sore because I had been sitting and lying down so much. Now I can walk more.

“In the last few weeks, I’ve been outdoors shoveling snow and working on vehicles. And my feet haven’t been this skinny in a long time,” Bruce added.

Overall, how would Bruce rate his care at Trinity Health?

“I give them a 10 out of 10 because everybody actually cared how I felt.”

To learn more about Kidney Transplant services offered at Trinity Health, visit TrinityHealthMichigan.org/KidneyTransplant  

Trinity Health Opens Satellite Clinic in Traverse City  
For many kidney patients, transportation is a barrier to care, especially for patients in Northern Michigan. Recognizing this, the Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Clinic – Traverse City, located in the Munson Healthcare Kidney & Hypertension Specialists office at 3537 Front Street, Suite A in Traverse City, is opening in May 2025.

This clinic provides patients with a pathway to continue and/or initiate their care through Trinity Health.

A registered nurse from the Kidney Transplant Center - Grand Rapids will be at the clinic on the second Thursday, every other month to hold the first of two pre-transplant appointments with interested patients. During this Evaluation and Education Day appointment, the patient will meet with several members of the transplant team virtually to learn about the transplant process and begin their transplant evaluation.

Bringing Trinity Health’s kidney transplant expertise to patients will help eliminate long drives for them to transplant centers downstate and back. The opening of this clinic is just one example of Trinity Health’s commitment to bring health care close to home. In addition to the Traverse City location, Trinity Health also operates a Kidney Transplant Clinic in Muskegon, further expanding access to pre-transplant care for patients in West Michigan.

Patients who are interested should speak to their primary nephrologist, dialysis center, or primary care physician and ask for a referral to the Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center – Grand Rapids. The center in Grand Rapids will then schedule patients for appointments at the location they prefer.