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On April 5 of last year, Marcella Lee of Northampton County was diagnosed with left Renal Cell Papillary Carcinoma. When her doctor told her, she was in denial. She continued going to work every day in pain, loss of appetite and losing weight.

Four weeks after being diagnosed, doctors from UNC Chapel Hill requested she have her surgery right after Christmas to remove her kidney. However, Lee’s pain had grown worse so she scheduled an appointment with the surgeon to have the left Renal Nephrectomy on Sept. 20 of last year.

Following the surgery she was in the hospital for nine days. During that time her right kidney did not function as it should have. She ended up on Hemodialysis three days a week, four hours a day. Her body couldn’t tolerate the Hemodialysis. She was then placed on the home periodontal dialysis for seven nights a week, nine hours per night.

“I don’t like being on dialysis, but this is what I have to do, if I want to live,” Lee said. “Being on dialysis can be depressing at times because I can’t do some of the things I like to do, such as working, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying days out.”

Lee says she always has to think to be home by a certain time to start a treatment.

“Dialysis will save your life but it not the same as having a real kidney,” she stressed.

A transplant would give Lee time to do things that she enjoys the most in her life. However, finding a kidney for transplant is not easy; there are a lot of people on the waiting list for a deceased donor some wait for years and many die while waiting.

Lee wants a second chance at life. She is asking if there someone who would consider donating a kidney to her. She is a type O positive. The reason she prefers a living donor is because the kidney will last longer than the one of a deceased.

“Donating a kidney to me is something you would like to consider I would be happy to tell you more about my story and explore the process of determining if you are a good match for me,” Lee stated.

Those interested can contact Lee at (252) 326-6630 or the transplant center at UNC Chapel Hill at (989) 215-3433.

Help share Marcella’s story with everyone you know, she is not only doing this for her but she wants to bring awareness to the kidney and living donation. She is hoping that her efforts will help her receive a kidney soon.