This is a serious situation, folks. The team behind the well-received game *Blue Prince* is reaching out for help for one of their lead playtesters, Matthew “Iggy” Kowalski. Iggy is facing a tough diagnosis: polycystic kidney disease. He needs a living kidney donor within a few months. This news has spread through Bluesky, a platform used for sharing updates.
The developer Dogubomb expressed on Bluesky just how crucial Iggy has been to the project. He called Iggy brilliant, noting his innovative strategies in the game. The team urged everyone to help spread the word about Iggy’s situation and the urgent need for a donor.
Iggy was an invaluable tester and contributed so much to the project. He was absolutely brilliant in the game and came up with so many original strategies we had never considered. Please help us spread the word as we try to find him a living kidney donor. 💙
Iggy shares his story on his personal website, stating, “I have a disease that requires a living kidney donor. There are no other viable options for me.” His illness causes fluid-filled cysts to grow on his kidneys, impairing their function over time. Iggy’s metaphor? It’s like an alien bursting from the chest, but a lot less cinematic.
The urgency is real. If you or someone you know has a kidney to spare, your help could mean the world to a dedicated game developer. Iggy also mentions that not being a perfect match isn’t a dealbreaker. Teams can work together to find the best options for donation. Every bit of awareness can lead to a potential match, so sharing Iggy’s story is powerful, even if you can’t help directly.
Kidney transplants have a success rate of over 90% when using living donors. Still, fewer than 20% of people needing a transplant will receive one from a living donor. This highlights the critical and often desperate need for more awareness and support in cases like Iggy’s.
<pAlongside this, social media has been abuzz with support for Iggy. Hashtags like #HelpIggy and trends on platforms like Twitter and Instagram show a community rallying to assist. This collective effort shines a spotlight on an issue that rarely gets the attention it deserves. Let’s keep the conversation going and see how we can help each other in tough times.
