Update to this story: Amarri received a lifesaving transplant in May 2023.
Young Oklahoma Woman Treks on Despite Kidney Disease
One of 501 in the State Waiting on a Kidney Transplant
Amarri Norteye, of Del City, has a bright future ahead of her, but she needs a kidney to make it possible. She is one of 501 Oklahomans currently awaiting a lifesaving transplant.
Amarri is connected to her dialysis machine, a machine that does the work of her kidneys, six days a week. While she strives to live normally, she misses out on a normal college life and doesn’t stay up late for all-night study sessions and weekend getaways. She has to be on time to bed every night to keep her kidneys functioning.
She had not always been sick. Amarri lived a very normal and active childhood and was a junior in high school when she was getting a physical to play soccer. She felt good and had no worries going into the appointment. However, she quickly learned her blood pressure was high. So high, in fact, that they sent her to the Emergency Room (ER) at a nearby hospital, where the staff ran tests and soon realized her kidney levels were very high. The ER doctors wanted to put her on dialysis right then. Her mother opted to make an appointment for a second opinion.
She had always been athletic, playing volleyball, basketball and soccer. She was involved in her school’s student council and she held a steady job through high school.
After a series of appointments, Amarri learned that she had kidney damage and was in end-stage renal failure. She was put on medication and went on as usual until 18 months later when her kidneys stopped functioning, and she was put on dialysis.
The next month, Amarri was pushing her dialysis machine, the size of a copy machine, into her college dorm room. She didn’t let the dialysis phase her and she carried on her life just like she normally would.
Just two months after moving to college, she was listed for a kidney transplant. One and a half years later, she still waits on a lifesaving organ.
Amarri, and 95,000 others across the nation are awaiting a kidney transplant from an organ donor hero to save their life. Her family members, who are not eligible to donate a kidney to her, are cheering her on in hopes that 2020 is the year that her life is saved.
A kidney would give Amarri a second chance at living the best life she can.
LifeShare raises awareness for the need for more donors. You can give the gift of life by registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at LifeShareRegistry.org.
SHARE YOUR STORY
If your loved one was a hero for donation or a recipient and you would like to share their story of hope, please fill out this form to express interest to have you or your loved one's story shared in the form of Social Media, Good Ad (newspaper PSA), traditional media or any other purposes to further LifeShare's mission.
Amarri is connected to her dialysis machine, a machine that does the work of her kidneys, six days a week. While she strives to live normally, she misses out on a normal college life and doesn’t stay up late for all-night study sessions and weekend getaways. She has to be on time to bed every night to keep her kidneys functioning.
She had not always been sick. Amarri lived a very normal and active childhood and was a junior in high school when she was getting a physical to play soccer. She felt good and had no worries going into the appointment. However, she quickly learned her blood pressure was high. So high, in fact, that they sent her to the Emergency Room (ER) at a nearby hospital, where the staff ran tests and soon realized her kidney levels were very high. The ER doctors wanted to put her on dialysis right then. Her mother opted to make an appointment for a second opinion.
She had always been athletic, playing volleyball, basketball and soccer. She was involved in her school’s student council and she held a steady job through high school.
After a series of appointments, Amarri learned that she had kidney damage and was in end-stage renal failure. She was put on medication and went on as usual until 18 months later when her kidneys stopped functioning, and she was put on dialysis.
The next month, Amarri was pushing her dialysis machine, the size of a copy machine, into her college dorm room. She didn’t let the dialysis phase her and she carried on her life just like she normally would.
Just two months after moving to college, she was listed for a kidney transplant. One and a half years later, she still waits on a lifesaving organ.
Amarri, and 95,000 others across the nation are awaiting a kidney transplant from an organ donor hero to save their life. Her family members, who are not eligible to donate a kidney to her, are cheering her on in hopes that 2020 is the year that her life is saved.
A kidney would give Amarri a second chance at living the best life she can.
LifeShare raises awareness for the need for more donors. You can give the gift of life by registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at LifeShareRegistry.org.
SHARE YOUR STORY
If your loved one was a hero for donation or a recipient and you would like to share their story of hope, please fill out this form to express interest to have you or your loved one's story shared in the form of Social Media, Good Ad (newspaper PSA), traditional media or any other purposes to further LifeShare's mission.
