Veteran Forsyth County firefighter searching for living kidney donor

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - The Forsyth County Fire Department is rallying behind a veteran firefighter who is searching for an organ donor who could save his life.

The department is hoping someone will donate their kidney to firefighter Chris Stancel.

What they're saying:

Stancel says that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease due to a rare genetic condition and is looking for a living donor.

"It’s a life-changing moment, but I’m facing it with strength, faith, and hope." he wrote in a Facebook message.

The 25-year veteran of the department is working with Piedmont Hospital's transplant program.

Dig deeper:

Thousands of people die each year waiting for an organ transplant. It’s possible for living donors to give one of their two kidneys or part of a liver, the only organ that regenerates.

With nearly 90,000 people on the U.S. list for a kidney transplant, finding a living donor not only shortens the yearslong wait -- those organs also tend to survive longer than ones from deceased donors.

Doctors once thought young adults were the ideal living donor. But there’s been a shift toward older living donors because it’s easier to correctly predict that they won’t outlive their remaining kidney.

What you can do:

If you think you could be a match or would like to learn more about the program, click here.