After 14 years on dialysis, Jelani Gardner finally has the news he has been waiting and praying for: a living kidney donor has stepped forward.

Now Jelani faces another obstacle.

He has been told that he must resolve approximately $14,000 in insurance-related out-of-pocket costs before the transplant process can proceed.

That is the immediate need.

We are raising $60,000 to help remove that barrier and support Jelani and his family through the difficult months of recovery that will follow.

Jelani has been fighting kidney disease since he was 19.

At the time, basketball appeared to be carrying him toward an extraordinary future.

Jelani was a McDonald's All-American and one of the top basketball recruits in the country coming out of St. John Bosco. He later played at Cal and Pepperdine before beginning a professional basketball career. His basketball résumé is substantial, but when Jelani looks back on those years today, the accomplishments are not what he talks about first.

He talks about the journey.

He talks about gratitude.

He talks about how basketball, adversity and faith helped shape him into a man of character, hard work and perseverance.

At 26 years old, Jelani's mother gave him one of her kidneys.

Because of that gift, he was able not only to continue living, but to continue playing professional basketball until he was 37 years old.

A year later, that transplanted kidney failed.

Since then, dialysis has become part of Jelani's life.

Four days every week. Four hours each session. For 14 years.

Through all of it, Jelani kept showing up for other people.

He became a coach and mentor. He continued pouring into young athletes and helping them understand not only basketball, but the business surrounding the game and the realities of life beyond it.

Most importantly, he continued showing up for his family.

Jelani has been married for 23 years and is the father of five.

Today, a living donor named Anel has stepped forward to give Jelani that same gift his mother gave him all those years ago.

A donor stepped up. Now it's our turn.

Here's exactly where your money goes:

$14,500 — out-of-pocket transplant cost (insurance doesn't cover it — it has to be paid before the transplant moves forward)

$10,000 — post-transplant medications

$15,000 — medical bills

$20,500 — recovery and living expenses

$0 — my donor Anel's costs, covered in full by Kidneys in Common