NORWELL, MASS. (WHDH) - The Norwell community is on a mission to help one of their own get a new kidney.
James Berg has a hereditary disorder called Polycystic Kidney Disease and is now in kidney failure. Because the disease is genetic, no one in his family can be a donor.
“I was 25 and that’s why they tested me, and I was told that I had it and is a slow progression and slowly deteriorates your kidney functions over the years and I knew this day was coming,” he said.
Berg is set to go in for surgery next week to prep for dialysis.
“Hopefully I can start doing dialysis which should make me feel better give me more strength and make me feel more normal,” he said.
The 59-year-old is a husband, father and grandfather is a longtime resident of Norwell and the community is rallying behind him on his quest to get a kidney transplant.
“Overwhelming, the amount of people that have just come out of the woodwork, people I don’t even know the town has been unbelievable,” Berg said. “You got to have a goal in life, my first goal was to get married and have kids and have grandchildren.”
Now, he says his next goal is to see his two granddaughters graduate from high school.
With his family and community’s support, he remains hopeful for that life-saving call.
“I plan of making my second life, after I get my next kidney — if I get a kidney, to be even better than first,” he said.
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