Help Louis Davis Turn Kidney Failure Into SUCCESS

A dear friend of mine, Louis “Louie” Davis, is in need of support as he awaits a kidney donor.

Louie and I met in 2016 when we were both students at San Francisco State University. I wrote a story for a journalism class about how he copes with systemic Lupus, a disease he has been fighting since 2007.

I sat by Louie’s bedside at the hospital. He told me his story of how he used to be a track and field star in high school and how he used to spend much of his time in the recording studio. He’s a highly-talented musician; his raps are the kind you can really vibe and relate to.

Louie’s calm demeanor, optimism, wisdom, authenticity, and determination to live his life to the fullest have stuck with me ever since. We remained in contact as his disease progressed, and unfortunately, he has not been able to live out his fullest life because of his worsening condition, hence this effort to bring Louie some stability as he inches his way closer to the top of UC San Francisco’s kidney donor list.

Louie was diagnosed with a severe form of Lupus Nephritis in 2017, a condition that leads to kidney (renal) failure. He lost his kidney function and has been on hemodialysis for five years, a process where a person’s blood runs through a machine that has an artificial external kidney attached to it, then enters back into the body.

He has been doing this 3-4 days per week, 3.5 hours per day for the past five years. It is like a part-time job for him to stay alive and cleanse his blood. It gives Louie extreme fatigue, plus restless body syndrome. It’s miserable.

The kidney failure is in addition to Lupus that affects his entire body. It has caused major damage to his skin, joints, and feet. He has difficulty walking and standing due to extreme pain in his feet.

A documentary was made about Louie and his illness that you can watch here to learn more: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJrHxI7UaDc

Having to endure this has made it impossible for Louie to work or live a normal life. And sadly, the life expectancy of someone on dialysis is five years... Louie is in year five of five. BUT THERE IS HOPE!

Louie is on UC San Francisco’s waitlist for a kidney donor, and his care team is working to accelerate him toward the top of the list because of how badly he needs it.

Receiving this organ can EXTEND HIS LIFE BY 30 YEARS, if not more!

But to move forward on the kidney waitlist, Louie needs stable housing. He needs to have a safe place where he can heal after surgery so that his body does not reject the kidney.

Group housing or living with roommates is not an option due to the severity of his illness and its impact on his immune system.

Louie receives SSI (Supplemental Security Income) disability funds, but it does not nearly cover his costs of housing, utilities, transportation to-and-from dialysis, food and groceries, and other essential living costs.

Last year, a former teacher of Louie’s launched a GoFundMe that ended up raising over $20,000. This got him his first year of housing in a studio apartment in San Francisco. It garnered support from the media and was talked about on the radio. The fundraising effort ultimately kept him alive and eligible to receive a kidney.

He needs that eligibility to continue, and he needs support in order for it to continue.

Every fund raised from this effort will go toward housing, utilities, transportation, and essential items like food and grocery. So please consider donating what you can—EVERY BIT HELPS! We appreciate you so much. We know these are hard times for all, and your generosity is received with so much gratitude.

If you can’t donate, please share this fundraiser FAR AND WIDE!

We have the power to give this incredible, deserving human another chance at a full, abundant, healthy, and long life. Let’s help Louie TURN KIDNEY FAILURE INTO SUCCESS!

With gratitude and hope,

Brandy Miceli Maddox