Desperate for a match, Chicago mom uses Instagram and her car to find a kidney donor
Desperate for a match, Chicago mom uses Instagram and her car to find a kidney donor
Stephanie Moore was 18 when doctors delivered life-changing news: she had been born with only one kidney. While in college, she learned that her lone kidney was functioning at just 16% ? a dangerously low level that left her on the verge of kidney failure.
CHICAGO - Stephanie Moore was 18 when doctors delivered life-changing news: she had been born with only one kidney. While in college, she learned that her lone kidney was functioning at just 16% — a dangerously low level that left her on the verge of kidney failure.
Now 32, Moore is a single mother to a 5-year-old daughter and in urgent need of a living kidney donor.
What we know:
With her kidney function nearly depleted, she is making a public plea — literally. A decal on the back of her car displays her blood type, B positive, along with her contact information.
"I need a kidney now," Moore said. "If I wanted help, I had to speak up."
Moore, a clinical research associate and real estate investor, was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS, a rare condition that affects about seven in a million people annually, primarily African American men. The disease causes scarring in the kidneys and often leads to complete kidney failure.
Each night, Moore undergoes nine and a half hours of dialysis in her bedroom. It’s a grueling routine she endures to stay alive and care for her daughter.
She joined the National Kidney Donor Registry three years ago but has faced challenges finding a match due to antibodies developed during a prior pregnancy and blood transfusion. She recently moved to the top of the transplant list, but a precise match is still needed.
Moore first went public with her story through an Instagram post, hoping to raise awareness and encourage potential donors. Since then, she’s received messages of support, questions from prospective donors, and offers of prayer and encouragement.
Through it all, Moore is staying true to her blood type — B positive — and holding on to hope.
What you can do:
Moore is encouraging anyone who may be a potential match to contact her directly. She can be reached at 312-513-1456 or by email at stephmoore0318@gmail.com.
For Moore, the search is about more than survival — it’s about being there for her daughter’s next birthday, her first day of school and every milestone to come.