Hillsborough teacher receives life-saving kidney transplant thanks to fellow teacher: ‘We’re kidney sisters’
Teacher donates kidney to another teacher
A Hillsborough County teacher started the new year with a renewed sense of health and hope, thanks to a fellow educator who answered her call for help. FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.
LITHIA, Fla - A Hillsborough County teacher started the new year with a renewed sense of health and hope, thanks to a fellow educator who answered her call for help.
What we know:
Mayra Nieves, a teacher at Pinecrest Elementary School in Lithia, spent nearly four years on dialysis while waiting for a kidney transplant after doctors diagnosed her with an immune disorder in 2018 that led to kidney failure.
"Of course, you always think, ‘oh my gosh, could I be that person? Could I actually pass away?’" Nieves said.
After years without a match, Nieves shared her story on Facebook, asking for help. That message reached Jenna Folken, another Hillsborough County teacher who had never met Nieves.
"I was awake at two in the morning," Folken said. "So, I started scrolling through social media, and I saw this post for Mayra and I thought ‘O-positive, I’m O-positive.’"
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Folken decided to get tested, motivated in part by her own family’s loss.
"One of our sons passed away, so I know what it is like to experience that loss," Folken said. "If I could keep a family from losing someone and going through that pain, I was going to do whatever I could to do that."
Within weeks, doctors at Tampa General Hospital confirmed Folken was a match.
"I was really happy, excited, and overwhelmed," Nieves said.
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Two days before Christmas, Folken donated her kidney, giving Nieves what she calls the best gift she has ever received.
"It was the best Christmas present," Nieves said. "I’m so thankful that she heard God’s voice, and she decided to act on it and not kind of sit and idle."
Why you should care:
Physicians at Tampa General Hospital say the story highlights the importance of living organ donation. They say recipients of living donor kidneys often recover faster and live longer.
"Not only is there the satisfaction of helping a friend or relative or a total stranger, but it is a safe procedure," said Dr. Pranjal Jain, the medical director of the TGH Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program.
Last year, doctors performed nearly 30,000 kidney transplants nationwide, but more than 100,000 people are still waiting for a match. Tampa General Hospital is encouraging people to consider becoming living organ donors through its Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program.
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What's next:
Nieves says she hopes to return to her classroom as early as March. When the two teachers recently met in person for the first time since the surgery, the connection was immediate.
"She’s my sister," Nieves said. "We’re kidney sisters."
The Source: Information for this story came from interviews with Mayra Nieves, Jenna Folken and Tampa General Hospital physicians, as well as reporting from FOX 13 News.