George Lopez Finds a Perfect Match
When the comedian needed a new kidney, his wife, Ann, donated one of her own.
A Life With Kidney Disease continued...
His new kidney --- and his family's once-cavalier attitude toward hissufferings --- inspired him to write an episode on his sitcom in which hisfictional son, Max, wets the bed repeatedly due to the same condition Georgehad. George says he played the role as he might have done with his owndaughter, Mayan --- if recent experiences hadn't taught him better.
"I [say to] Max: 'Don't tell your mom -- and don't drink water beforegoing to bed.' It wasn't hard to do those lines. My character wouldn't haveknown or suspected something really was wrong."
Clues to Kidney Disease
At 17, George also had high blood pressure, which can be both a symptom ofand a precursor to kidney disease.
Looking back, he's shocked that someone as young as he had hypertension. Atthe time, though, it raised no alarms, nor did the fatigue that had begun toplague him as an adult. He rarely saw a doctor. George says he believes thereason is, in large measure, cultural: "Latinos, we only go to the doctorwhen we are bleeding. We forget about things internal. Fatigue is justfatigue."
George's condition is only one path to kidney failure. The most common causeis diabetes, in which a buildup of sugar in the blood has a similarly poisonouseffect. High blood pressure is another cause --- and an effect --- of failingkidneys. An estimated 375,000 Americans are currently undergoing treatment forkidney failure. It kills nearly 70,000 people each year.
Latinos are twice as likely as whites to develop diabetes, according to theNational Kidney Foundation, putting them at greater risk for kidney disease aswell. An estimated 13% of the Latino population has been diagnosed withdiabetes. Many more have the disease and don't know it.
"The people who come to see me do stand-up, they never go to thedoctor," George says of the many Latinos in the audience at his comedyshows. "I tell them, you need to go! You need to get your blood checked.That can tell you so much."