“All my life I had to fight....” ~ Sofia, The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Just because I need a kidney to save my life doesn’t mean I’ve lost my sense of humor.
I have been fighting chronic kidney disease my entire life. When I was a child, I was diagnosed with Berger’s Disease, also known as IgA nephropathy. My family is all too familiar with kidney disease—my cousin is on dialysis, and my aunt passed away from renal failure. I have managed my disease for several years, but in November 2017, my kidney function began to rapidly decline.
Since then, I have been fighting every day to save my life.
I started hemodialysis in August 2018. Three nights a week, I undergo 6-hour nocturnal dialysis treatments.
On March 1, 2018, I launched a Living Kidney Donor campaign entitled: #ThatGirlNeedsAKidney. Learn more about #ThatGirlNeedsAKidney on Facebook and Instagram:
I use this social media campaign to not only aid in my search for a living kidney donor, but to educate and inform all who see my posts about Chronic Kidney Disease, End Stage Renal Disease, kidney transplantation, hemodialysis, and what it’s like to be a patient fighting this disease.
- facebook.com/ThatGirlNeedsAKidney
- instagram.com/ThatGirlNeedsAKidney_Malkia
- instagram.com/ThatGirlNeedsAKidneyResources
I use this social media campaign to not only aid in my search for a living kidney donor, but to educate and inform all who see my posts about Chronic Kidney Disease, End Stage Renal Disease, kidney transplantation, hemodialysis, and what it’s like to be a patient fighting this disease.
I worked with a graphic designer to create a customized apparel design that advertises my need for a kidney. In February 2019, I started a fundraiser and distributed that design on T- shirts to friends, family, sorority sisters, church members, and acquaintances – anyone who was willing to wear it and help me in my search.
I created a donation page on the National Foundation for Transplants website to raise money and collect tax-deductible donations that will be used (with my medical insurance) to fund my kidney transplant, expenses related to the surgery, follow-up care and anti-rejection medications for the rest of my life.
Since I began dialysis, I have had a few people express interest in donating a kidney to me; however, for various reasons and circumstances, they did not work out. So I am still searching every day for a living kidney donor.
Each day, I am fighting to stay alive.
Why I need a kidney...
The obvious answer is that I am experiencing renal failure. With hemodialysis, my left kidney functions below 8 percent, and my right kidney is non-functioning.
My doctors say a kidney transplant is necessary. There is no cure for Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5/End Stage Renal Disease. There are only two basic options for treatment:
- dialysis; and
- kidney transplantation.
I was added to the kidney transplant waiting list in April 2018. Even though I am on the transplant waiting list, it could be years before a kidney from a deceased becomes available. So my doctors advised me to find a living donor.
I am actively seeking a living kidney donor because on average, a kidney from a living kidney donor lasts about 15 to 20 years, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
But I also need a kidney because I want to live. I want to live to spend time with my parents and take care of them in old age. I want to live so that I can get married and have children. I want to live so that I can travel and see more of the world. I want to live because I am young, vibrant, and love life.
During this difficult time, I am grateful for the love and support of my family and friends. I look forward to receiving a kidney transplant that will give me back my energy and allow me to feel like myself again. I want nothing more than to be healthy again so I can continue to live out my legacy. I plan to put my illness behind me and live out a long, healthy life.
