INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana man is alive today thanks to a sign he held up at an NFL game that led him to a woman who would ultimately save his life.
Marcus Edwards was in kidney failure at a Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field in 2019 when he held up a sign that read, "I NEED A KIDNEY O POSITIVE."
He and his sign went viral. But a year later, he was still fighting for his life. That is until Jennifer Michel, of New Albany, saw his story and decided she was the one to help.
She ended up being a match and in October 2021, Edwards and Michel met for the first time in the hospital — two days after she gave him her kidney.
If you, like Michel, feel called to give a living kidney donation, here's what the experts say you should know.
Who can be a living kidney donor?
According to the National Kidney Foundation, to be a kidney donor, you have to be in good physical and mental health. Potential donors should also be 18 years or older and have normal kidney function.
Are there different types of living donations?
There are two types of living donation, directed donation and non-directed donation. A directed donation is when the donor names a specific person to receive their kidney. A non-directed donation is when a donor doesn't name a specific recipient and is paired with someone in need.
How do I donate?
There are plenty of ways to donate, including reaching out to your local hospital. You can also visit kidney.org, where you'll find more information on donating. You can also check out the National Kidney Registry to see if you qualify to donate.
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