Hi, this is Melissa and she needs a kidney.

During the pandemic, Melissa started feeling sick, but thought it was just acid reflux. When the problem wouldn’t go away, she called her doctor. Lab results revealed her kidneys were failing and the situation was so dire her doctor told her to rush to the ER. After ten days of countless tests and attempts to recalibrate her vitals, Melissa was diagnosed with Stage Four Chronic Kidney Disease. Underlying her condition is an autoimmune disease called Anca Vasculitis. As a result, Melissa will need a kidney transplant in order to save her life.

We, her dear friends, are casting a wide net in hopes of finding a viable donor. Could you be the one–or might you know someone?

A person donating a kidney on Melissa’s behalf would have their costs of hospital and medical care covered. In addition, other common expenses for the donor are covered, including lost wages, room and lodging during donation, travel, and dependent care. These are called Donor Shield Protections and are available through the National Kidney Registry. Learn more about Donor Shield here.

But she looks so healthy!

To look at Melissa, you might be surprised to learn that she needs a kidney transplant. She works as a director, regularly plays tennis, loves traveling, and enjoys hosting friends and family. But as time passes, her condition will worsen. Soon Melissa will need a new kidney, as her own kidneys will fail. The best outcome would be for her to receive a kidney transplant prior to having to start dialysis.

While a deceased donor is an option and Melissa has been added to the UNOS deceased kidney transplant list, a living donor would yield a much better outcome with a lower chance of her body rejecting the donated organ and greater longevity for the transplant itself.

That’s where you come in.

How to Help Melissa

If you or someone you know might be interested in learning more about kidney donation, please contact us here. All conversations will be confidential with no obligation to proceed further.

You may also contact the National Kidney Registry (NKR) directly by clicking the ‘Get Started’ button here to begin the evaluation process. When reaching out to the NKR, you will need to provide them with Melissa’s name, date of birth, and transplant center name. For this personal information, please contact us and we will reply with that information.

There are three different ways that a living donation can occur.

Direct Donation A matching kidney from a living donor. This would be ideal. However, a direct match is not necessary.

Paired Donation A kidney may be donated on Melissa’s behalf through the NKR to help another person in need but who also has an incompatible donor. Melissa would receive a compatible kidney from a donor donating on behalf of an incompatible recipient. That recipient would then receive a kidney from a different unmatched donor-recipient pair.

Voucher Donation If someone donates on Melissa’s behalf, the NKR would issue a voucher to her — like an I.O.U. for a kidney. Melissa would most likely receive a compatible kidney within a few months.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND ANONYMITY

Being evaluated as a potential donor does not commit you to the donation process. You have the ability to stop the evaluation process at any point – even up until right before surgery. ALL inquiries, conversations, and correspondences — with the NKR or medical professionals or Melissa’s friends — will remain confidential. No information will be shared with Melissa at any time. Donors can remain anonymous, if they choose.

Spread the Word!

Share Melissa’s story with friends, family and colleagues. Post the link on social media — Facebook, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, TikTok or your favorite platform. By sharing her story, you expand the possibility of getting her a life-saving kidney donation. Click on the button below if you would like a downloadable PDF of Melissa’s story.

SHARE MELISSA'S STORY

Friends of Melissa Ask For Your Help!

“The decision to get tested to see if I was a potential donor was not easy. I had so many questions: Would it be expensive? How long would it take to recover from the surgery? How would it affect my future health to live with only one kidney? But the more I learned, the less apprehensive I became. The tests were simple and I felt supported by the medical professionals guiding me through the process. Although I ended up not being a viable candidate, it feels good to know that I had tried. I would encourage everyone to learn more, get tested, and see if you can help.”
-Tim

“As a cancer survivor, I know about the power of community to come to your aid. I hoped that I could be that person for Melissa. I didn’t tell her I was going to get tested, just in case I changed my mind. I had great talks with two past kidney donors, the testing was easy, and the living donor coordinator at UC Irvine was great. Sadly, doctors ruled me out for donation. But throughout the process I was so impressed how everyone didn’t just have Melissa’s health in mind, they made sure that this would be safe for me. In the process, I learned more about donation, and feel confident in this extraordinary life-saving procedure.”
-Miranda