In 2013, a simple trip to a drive-through restaurant changed my friend Amanda’s life forever. The hamburger she ordered was contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7, a deadly foodborne illness that led to a life-threatening condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)—a rare disease that destroyed her red blood cells and caused permanent kidney damage. A few days after eating contaminated food, Amanda became violently ill and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors immediately began running tests to identify the E. coli 0157:H7 and HUS. They were out of time to stop the HUS from destroying her kidneys, but there was still time to slow down the process to protect her brain, and other vital organs from further damage. Doctors used anesthetic drugs to create a temporary, deep state of unconsciousness known as a medically induced coma. Amanda remained in a coma for a couple of months. During that time doctors would regularly test for brain activity to confirm she wasn’t brain dead. When stopped showing signs of brain activity her doctors stopped the sedation to let her pass away peacefully. Her father sat by her side preparing to watch his only daughter take her last breath, when she suddenly opened her eyes and began yanking at her intubation tube. This was the first of many times that doctors misjudged Amanda’s determination to live.

When she awoke from her coma, Amanda did not recognize her own body that was atrophied and weak. Amanda had to work with an occupational/physical therapist for weeks to relearn the basic life functions of walking, talking, swallowing, and eating. After spending six long months in the hospital she was released to go home. However, she was still very sick and unable to live without dialysis treatments. Amanda spent four 8-hour days, every week, connected to a hemodialysis machine at a dialysis center. The dialysis treatments became her full time job. She was determined to survive and raise her daughters, Abigayle and Fiona, and dialysis was her lifeline.

However, dialysis was not a permanent solution and Amanda’s kidney function was not improving. After receiving dialysis for 1.5 years her doctor suggested that she undergo testing for receiving a kidney transplant. Shortly after starting the testing process, she was given an unexpected miracle. She went to the ER for a staph infection in her dialysis catheter, and during the visit she found out that she was pregnant — despite being told that she’d sustain too much internal damage to ever conceive again.

Remarkably, the pregnancy was healing some of the damage caused by the E. coli 0157:H7 and HUS, and the ensuing kidney failure. This is a phenomenon known as Fetal Microchimerism, which occurs in pregnant women when fetal stem cells cross the placenta and integrate into the mother's body. Fetal stem cells help to repair damaged maternal tissue. While Fetal Microchimerism is rare, it occurs more often than people think. However, it kickstarted sufficient kidney function so that Amanda no longer needed dialysis. She could finally live independently of the dialysis machines and her quality of life improved immensely. Doctors warned that her Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) may never disappear completely and chances were, she’d face complete kidney failure in the future.

In June 2014, Amanda gave birth to her son Sawyer. He was born prematurely and spent time in the NICU. His arrival marked a turning point in her life. That same year, Amanda’s marriage collapsed under the tremendous weight of her illness, her ongoing recovery, and a premature baby. Her ex-husband walked away completely, leaving Amanda to raise three children alone. He does not contribute financially or physically to their care. For more than a decade, Amanda has been the sole provider for her children, carrying the full weight of parenthood, household responsibilities, and managing her chronic kidney disease.

Despite the hardships, Amanda rebuilt her life. She pursued a new career as a professional nonprofit fundraiser (Development Director/Grants Manager) which allowed her to give back to the community. She has raised millions of dollars for child abuse survivors/children in foster care, human trafficking survivors, and people living with HIV. She has poured her energy into helping others—while also raising three kids on her own.

In 2024, Amanda began to notice that she was always tired and lacking energy. She felt stabbing pains in her lower back and found herself frequently feeling ill. Her doctor performed a kidney biopsy that confirmed that she was in renal failure (kidney failure). She immediately began testing for the kidney transplant list and was placed on the regional kidney transplant list in December 2024. Upon further review, her test results showed an anomaly that would make finding a donor match difficult. Amanda has an extremely high (95%) antibody count, which means she is only compatible with a small percentage (5%) of donors. For this reason, Amanda was moved to the national kidney transplant list. Any day now, she will receive a new kidney that will give her a new lease on life.

Amanda has been told to expect a 4-month recovery period. During that time, she will be unable to work, drive, do household chores, fully care for herself or for her two younger children, Fiona (13) and Sawyer (11). To prepare for the increased financial needs of a kidney transplant, Amanda began working a second job to save for her post-transplant needs. Although she has been working 7-days a week, the financial gap remains overwhelming.

Amanda has spent her life lifting up others. Now, we can work together to do the same for her. All donations will go directly towards keeping her home running, paying for care, and making sure Fiona and Sawyer are safe and supported during their mom’s recovery.

Every gift, no matter the size, will make a difference. If you are unable to give financially, please share Amanda’s story and keep her in your prayers. Together, we can help her through this fight and give her children what they need most—their mom, healthy and whole.