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Woman's friends and family join her fight to find kidney
They're what's right with Tampa Bay
TAMPA, Fla. - Melissa Bias enjoys spending time soaking in the beauty of Tampa with her son John.
"Every day is precious to me and every day is precious with my children," she shared.
But, she needs a kidney in order to do that.
"I have to have a kidney as soon as possible," Bias explained.
Bias was born with malignant hypertension, which is extremely high blood pressure that causes organ damage. For Bias, it was her kidneys that suffered.
"In 1997 my kidney failed," she said. "All the dripping in my kidney made my kidney fail."
That didn't stop the former social worker from giving back to her community.
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"I enjoyed working with people. I enjoyed working with the children and then I went all the way up to adults," Bias stated.
In 1999 she got a kidney from her cousin that lasted four years. She went back on dialysis for another 10 years before she received another kidney in 2013.
"I went to Johns Hopkins and received that kidney but the kidney declined when I was up there. So, I had to stay for four months so they could get the kidney back working."
That kidney lasted until 2017. She has been back on dialysis for five years.
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"If she can get a kidney and if anyone can give her a kidney, that would give her, her independence back," her son John commented.
Bias says she is running out of time.
"Really, I have no one else to be tested for a kidney donor so I need your help. So, I really desperately need your help," Bias pleaded.
Bias is cherishing the beauty of each day as she waits for another chance to live a life of independence. Bias started an organization called Remember Me Kidney Organization. The group provides support for people dealing with health issues.
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