Hi, we’re Kristine and James Hawley, a married couple with three amazing sons. On August 5th, 2025, I (Kristine) will be donating my left kidney to James in a life-saving direct transplant.

Back in 2017, James was diagnosed with Membranous Glomerulonephritis (MGN), a rare autoimmune kidney disease. Despite multiple rounds of intense immunosuppressant treatments, his kidneys continued to decline. This past December, James was hospitalized in the ICU and diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. That’s when we learned a kidney transplant would be essential to save his life.

In the months since, our family has done everything we can to find a living donor. In an incredible turn of events, we discovered that I—his wife—am a match. After completing the extensive evaluation process, I’ve been officially approved to donate.

Although I was able to donate directly, we entered a six-week window through the National Kidney Registry’s Paired Exchange Program to explore the chance of finding a better match. That window has now passed, and no better match was found. So, we are moving forward with what was meant to be all along: I’ll be donating my left kidney to James.

We’ve completed all of our medical testing, we’re approved, and our operating room has been reserved. We still have pre-op and day-of testing ahead to ensure we’re both in the best shape possible for surgery—but we’re ready. It’s all becoming very real.

On the morning of August 5th, I’ll undergo surgery to donate my kidney. Later that same day, James will receive his transplant. We’ll recover side by side, each on our own unique path.

For me, as the donor, recovery typically takes 6 weeks. The first couple of weeks will be the most difficult physically and emotionally. James’s recovery, however, is longer and more uncertain. A transplant offers him a second chance—but it also brings months of anti-rejection medications, lab work, doctor visits, and the possibility of complications. There’s no set timeline for when his new kidney will stabilize, but we are hopeful and trusting the amazing medical team supporting us.

Our biggest concern right now is our boys. They’ve already walked a hard road, watching their dad suffer through illness, and now they’ll be seeing both of us healing at the same time. While we’re incredibly fortunate to have support from loved ones, we are also reaching out to ask for help in this next chapter.

We’ve launched a GoFundMe to help cover the mounting costs of:

• Medications, copays, and insurance deductibles

• Childcare and emotional support for our kids while we recover

• Basic living expenses while James remains out of work

If you’re able to contribute, share, or simply keep our family in your thoughts, we are deeply grateful. Every gesture—no matter the size—means more than we can say.

This journey has tested us in every way, but we’re stepping into this next phase with hope, faith, and overwhelming gratitude for the love that surrounds us. We’ll continue to share updates as we move forward—together.

With love and thanks,

Kristine, James, and the Hawley Boys