Mother in need of life saving transplant hopes to be blessing to others
Carol Williams search for a kidney donor continues, but she's encouraged by the overwhelming response from FOX 5 viewers who've shared her story, knowing what it might mean for other transplant patients in need of a donor match.
"It's been a huge response. There's so many people that's willing to help, " Williams told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes.
Williams is encouraged by the response to her public appeal for a living kidney donor, but two months after our first interview, she is still in search of a life-saving match.
"Going back to the last two months, my health, I just keep pushing but it's been rough."
Diagnosed with stage 2 kidney disease in February 2015, things began looking up for Williams after an anonymous donor gave her a kidney in 2016, but her body rejected the organ a few months later. The disease has taken a physical and financial toll. The pediatric nurse undergoes home dialysis 10 hours a night, seven days a week and is unable to work, but still tries to maintain a sense of normalcy for her two children 18-year-old Keontaye and 12-year-old Keoni.
Keontaye is in his senior year of high school. He prays a living donor will come forward to give his mom a second chance at life.
"It would mean the world to me and I want to have my mom to be there to watch me play sports in college and I want her to be there to watch my sister graduate and do whatever she wants to do in life."
March is National Kidney Disease Awareness Month. Williams is doing her part to raise awareness knowing through her efforts, someone coming forward to help her, could be the perfect match for another patient in need of a kidney transplant.
"I keep telling myself it's not for me. It's for somebody else that's going through this. I get one kidney, someone else is going to get one as well. So for everyone out there wanting to donate, wanting to share continue."