Every year, around 6,000 people step forward as living kidney donors, saving lives and giving hope to people like me. In 1998, I faced complete kidney failure and received a lifesaving transplant from my mom. That kidney gave me nearly 25 beautiful, healthy years. Recently, I returned to dialysis, and while I am grateful it keeps me alive, life on dialysis is exhausting, stressful, and limiting. Everything revolves around treatments now.
Every year, about 6,000 people step up and become living kidney donors in the United States—saving the lives of people like me. I was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease at just 16 years old. Since then, I’ve spent years tied to dialysis, missing out on so many milestones most people take for granted. I dream of the simple things: swimming again, building my career, traveling, even dressing up without worrying about a chest catheter.
Right now, I’m living with the reality of dialysis while hoping for a second chance — a transplant that could restore my health, allow me to return to work, and let me contribute back to my family, my community, and to others who need help.
Right now, I’m reaching out for help—not just for myself, but for my family who stands beside me. If you feel moved to help, there are two simple ways: you can share my story, helping me reach more people, or learn more about what it means to step forward. https://giftworksuuh.com/johng/
Living with chronic illness has changed my life in ways I never imagined. I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2005, and by the time doctors figured out what was happening inside my body, the damage to my kidneys was already severe. In 2021, I was officially diagnosed with renal failure. After endless tests and appointments, I was placed on the transplant list in 2022, and today, I wait—hoping for the gift of a kidney.
Service has always been a part of who I am. I enlisted in the military at 17 and proudly served our country for nine years. Now, my greatest hope is for the freedom to enjoy retirement — traveling, boating, camping, and making new memories with the people I love.
My life has become a constant cycle of limitations, and it’s hard to ask for help. But a kidney transplant would change everything. It would allow me to be the mom my son needs, to live without the constant exhaustion, and to have the freedom to enjoy life again.
It’s never easy to ask for help, especially when the request is so deeply personal. Veronica has been battling polycystic kidney disease since birth, and while she managed her condition for many years, her kidney function has rapidly declined over the past few years. Now, Veronica is on dialysis, doing her best to maintain a routine, but facing the daily struggles of fatigue and the uncertainty of her future.
As Steve’s advocate, I’m here to help spread the word and ask anyone who can, to consider becoming a living kidney donor. Every share, every conversation, and every connection brings us closer to finding a match. Please take a moment to read Steve’s story and help us spread the word. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. https://giftworksuuh.com/steveb/
A living kidney donation would allow me to embrace #life fully again—to be present for my family, play with my daughter, and support my wife in ways I can’t right now.
