A Second Chance at Life: Supporting the Alabama Kidney Foundation
Ann Marie Lewis
Ann Marie Lewis
We met in college, moved to Atlanta after graduation, and built a life together. We married in 1993, had a son in 1998, and a daughter in 2000. Life was full, busy, and good.
And then came the bump in the road.
In 2019, we learned that Brian would need a kidney transplant.
What followed was a journey from shock to fear to hope.
We met with doctors, dietitians, and transplant teams. We learned about dialysis, the transplant waitlist, and the reality that it can take years to receive a kidney. We also learned about living donation and that even if I wasn’t a match, there was still a way to help Brian through paired donation.
So I got tested.
In March 2020, we received incredible news. I was not only approved to donate, I was a match for Brian.
Right in the middle of the COVID shutdown, everything paused. But on July 10, 2020, we finally had our transplant surgery.
And it worked.
I was walking the same day. Brian came home just a few days later. That summer, like so many others, we walked outside. For us, every step felt like a gift.
Today, we are back in Birmingham, enjoying life in ways we don’t take for granted.
Because this journey changed everything.
We’ve met people whose lives have been saved by organ donation and others who are still waiting.
We’ve seen firsthand that transplantation doesn’t just extend life.
It restores it.
Through our journey and through connecting with others at the Transplant Games in 2024, we heard stories that were both uplifting and heartbreaking.
Those experiences reinforced what we now know to be true:
There is a full, active, meaningful life after transplant.
Living donors can go on to live healthy, active lives.
Saying yes to organ donation can save lives.
While we’re not participating in the Transplant Games this year, our commitment to advocating for organ donation and supporting this community is just as strong.
If you’re able, please consider supporting the Alabama Kidney Foundation. Your donation helps patients and families who are walking this same road right now.
If you or someone you love is on this journey, please reach out. We would truly love to offer encouragement.
Thank you for being part of this with us and for helping give others the chance at a second life.
Ann Marie and Brian
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