Chicago Police Chief Says He’s Had Kidney Transplant Offers

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says some of his own officers and citizens alike have offered to donate a kidney to him since he disclosed that he’s on a kidney-transplant waiting list.

After nearly fainting at a Friday news conference, Johnson announced that he’s had a kidney condition for decades and is now awaiting a transplant.

He said Saturday that since he made that disclosure, citizens have called 911 to give their information for possibly becoming a kidney donor for him.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Johnson says those kind offers have given him “a humbling, humbling feeling.”

Johnson says he was diagnosed with an ailment that causes an acute inflammation of the kidney at age 25 when he underwent testing while applying to become a Chicago police officer.

Johnson’s health became an issue Friday after he suffered an episode of dizziness during a news conference on city efforts to tamp down gun violence, but he said that the kidney issue does not have an impact on his ability to do his job and had nothing to do with his dizzy spell. He said that when he gets a transplant he will be able to resume his duties in three to five weeks. Johnson also says that he informed Mayor Rahm Emanuel about the issue before taking the job.

Johnson said his dizziness Friday was due to taking blood pressure medication on an empty stomach.