A Journey of Hope: Your Help Means Everything
Dear family and friends,
Since July 2019, I’ve been on dialysis, a journey that has shaped my life in ways I never imagined. Today I’m reaching out with a heartfelt request. I am currently on the kidney transplant list at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Calif., and while I wait for that miracle, I’m also exploring the incredible possibility of living donation.
Like most of you know, I’ve been battling many health issues: diabetes, kidney failure, gastroparesis, high blood pressure, and gout.
Because of these issues, in 2014, I was granted disability and have not worked since. I began going to school in 2015. Being a first-generation college student at age 37 along with my health issues was definitely a challenge. Going back to school while facing debilitating health issues was incredibly difficult. Balancing coursework with frequent medical treatments and the physical and emotional toll of my condition required immense determination. Managing fatigue, hospital visits, and the uncertainty of my health often made it difficult to focus, but my passion for learning and improving my future kept me moving forward despite the obstacles. My major was in Nutrition and Dietetics, and my goal was to become a Functional Nutritionist to educate myself on how I could use food to heal my body. I prepared myself academically as well as physically by changing my eating habits and losing over 80 lbs. In 2021, because of a fall, I was admitted to Marian Extended Care and was there for 10 months trying to save my right foot, but unfortunately, in September of 2022, due to an infection in my blood, I became septic, and as a result, had an amputation. I was determined not to let this bring me down; instead, I pushed forward and rehabilitated myself back to functioning with now, a prosthetic. Being on the transplant list for over 5 years brings me to a possible offer for a deceased donor transplant. Until then, if there is someone compatible with my blood type, they could donate a kidney as a living donor. The person donating a kidney would be tested at no cost to them and see if we are compatible and the donor healthy enough to donate. I humbly come on this platform to put myself out there and seek help from anyone who would like to contribute. This is very difficult for me; however, this is my life, and I’ve changed many aspects of it to lead a healthy and meaningful one.
If you or someone you know has ever considered being a kidney donor, you could truly change my life. Living donation is a safe and compassionate process, and the team at Cedars-Sinai is ready to guide and support anyone interested.
There will be a QR code at the bottom of this post if anyone is interested in checking if they are compatible with me. This can be anonymous, and even if found compatible, there is no obligation to continue. My blood type is A negative.
For those of you unable to be a living donor, your support still means the world. I’ve set up a GoFundMe to help with medical and related expenses. If you could donate, share my story, or even send a prayer, it would be a tremendous gift.
When God sees fit to grant me the blessing of a kidney, I must be ready physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. I appreciate any help, prayers, and love from anyone reading this. My goal is to be a better version of myself to be able to give back and help others and return to the workforce. This transplant will do that for me along with a better quality of life. A kidney will allow me the opportunity to help others like me and have insight on what it’s like to have chronic illnesses and be able to rise up and fight for your health. My motivation comes from my faith in God, family, and the will to reach my goals in life.
Your kindness and encouragement keep me going every day. Please reach out to me if you’d like more information or if you’re open to discussing kidney donation. If you have read this, I can’t thank you enough. Any help is appreciated. God bless you all. Thank you. Please feel free to reach out for any questions. I am an open book. Together, we can make a difference.
With all my love and
gratitude,
Cheo Morales