Trevor and Kahlua: Cherishing Life Kahlua’s sense of

TREVOR&KAHLUA Cherishing Life

By Allison McKee

P H OTO S C O U R T E S Y O F T R E VO R D E H A S S T revor DeHaas says he wasn’t always an outdoorsy person. He used to love playing video games, going out with his friends, and hanging out at home. His life was quite “normal” in most regards, but Trevor was also quietly facing a serious lifelong issue with his kidneys.

Little did he know how much a dog would change the course of his life . . .

“I did the normal thing . . . I went to college, got a full-time job, and shortly after that I started paddle boarding. Most of the time I’d go by myself, and then I saw someone kayaking with their dog,” says Trevor. “I kind of realized that you could take a dog paddle boarding, too! I felt like I was ready to have my own dog.”

A little internet puppy-searching later, Trevor found a rescue organization with a little leopard-spotted dog who was available and looking for a forever home.

Kahlua was the perfect match and they were out on the water together the very next day.

“I knew I wanted her to be an adventure dog, but other than paddle boarding I just wasn’t an ‘outdoorsy’ person.”

Kahlua was active, to say the least, and her drive for adventure and exercise pushed Trevor beyond his typical limits and out into the great beyond.

“She needed to go out for at least an hour every day, which was a big change for me. But it was a good change. I was getting outside a lot more,” Trevor remembers.

“At that time, I was working a job that I had thought I wanted, but after I got Kahlua and I was spending a lot more time outdoors with her, being outside became a hobby and really a passion of ours,” he explains. Trevor

decided to follow his heart, live in the moment, and take a road trip with Kahlua. “I had never even slept in a tent before! But after seven days, I was hooked.”

“From that point on, I knew that I wanted to be [out on the road]. Kahlua and my kidneys inspired me to just go for it. I saved up some money, quit my job, we hit the road, and we ended up spending eight months traveling . . . and it was awesome,” he says.

Those months on the road led Trevor and Kahlua to some very special memories, like paddle boarding on Lake Powell, hiking down into the Grand Canyon, and exploring Canada’s national parks.

Trevor says the biggest lesson that Kahlua has taught him is to pursue his passions.

“Life is too short not to do what you love, or at

“Dogs are so care-free.

They're not worried about the things we worry about… It's not healthy to always be worried about things we can't control,” he says

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least give it a try. You might fail. You might be successful. But you won’t know unless you try. Kahlua inspired me to pick up a camera. To get outdoors and start figuring out WHAT my passion is.”

Trevor knows all too well that no time is to be taken for granted. At 10 years old, he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that he knew would eventually cause his kidneys to stop working. He just doesn’t know when. Trevor is a humble, somewhat soft-spoken guy and admits it still isn’t easy to talk openly about needing a kidney transplant. The difficult reality is that Trevor’s kidney function has now decreased enough that he is actively in need of a life-saving kidney transplant as soon as possible.

The process of finding an organ donor isn’t easy, and the Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t made it any easier. Many hospital transplant programs aren’t operating at full capacity and their screening processes have been delayed.

Shockingly, the wait for a transplant from a “deceased donor” is ten years long. “If I have to wait that long for a kidney, I’m not going to be here, unfortunately.”

Trevor’s best chance is to find a living kidney donor who is willing to help him. The good news is that if someone does choose to donate a kidney to help Trevor or someone like him, they are thoroughly medically vetted to ensure they are highly unlikely to encounter any issues living their life with only one kidney.

“If the person who donates their kidney ever needs a kidney for any reason, they can practically get it tomorrow. They go straight

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to the top of the list,” he says. It’s an added safeguard to help people feel confident donating a kidney to save someone else’s life.

Trevor remains hopeful that a transplant match is out there for him. His best bud, Kahlua, is providing a great support system while he waits.

“Dogs are so carefree. They’re not worried about the things we worry about . . . It’s not healthy to always be worried about things we can’t control,” he says.

“A dog is 100 percent committed to knowing everything about you. Kahlua and I have never had a ‘real’ conversation but she knows me better than anyone.”

Trevor is truly an inspiration to make the most of your days, to live your life with a positive attitude, and to keep your eyes on the horizon.

As Trevor says on his Instagram, “Time only moves in one direction. It’s the most valuable currency we have. Use it wisely folks, once you use it, you’ll never get it back.”

Follow Trevor on Instagram at @trevorandkahlua

For more information on how to apply to become a life-saving donor, visit Trevor’s Instagram page and click on the link to the donor survey at the top of the page.