Community rallying behind West Chester family fighting to find kidney donor for 22-year-old son
WEST CHESTER, PA. (CBS) -- A family is searching for a stranger to save a loved one's life. The West Chester family is looking for a living kidney donor to save their son and they're taking the mission to the streets.
Living organ donors usually come from family members, but if there's not a match, what do you do? This sign says it all: My son needs a kidney.
Tammy Mayer walks the streets of West Chester with a desperate plea of: will you share a spare?
"We are doing everything we can to help our son find a living kidney donor," Mayer said.
Tammy and Dan Mayer's 22-year-old son Oliver has a genetic condition that's destroying his kidney function.
"So currently, my function is at 10%," Oliver said, "So we're getting down to the wire here."
Doctors said a kidney from someone living rather than deceased would be better for Oliver.
When family and friends weren't a match, the Mayers turned to Facebook and the streets with this advice from doctors.
"They've said you do not stop searching until he has a kidney inside him," Tammy said.
Christine Marvel saw Tammy's plea on Facebook and has joined her posse.
"She's so fiercely fighting for her son, I couldn't stand by, I needed to join her army," Marvel said.
It's a fight that's close to Marvel's heart. She donated a kidney to her dad.
"It's so easy. I was out of work for only two weeks. I still live my normal life. I work out all the time," Marvel said. "I actually feel so much better about my life giving a piece of life to someone else."
It's estimated there are about 5,700 living kidney donations every year in the United States.
"There are so many amazing people out there," Jay Gittleson said.
Gittleson and his daughter are now also part of Tammy's team. They know the agony of waiting for an organ. Gittleson is a kidney recipient.
"It was a miracle that I received the transplant," Gittleson said.
Now, this group of former strangers is united in the world of kidney transplants looking for another stranger to save Oliver.
"It just blows my mind," Oliver said, "I mean, I never expected this to happen really and I'm just really thankful."
Because of privacy laws, the family isn't allowed to know about people who offer to become donors. They're only notified if there's a match ready for a transplant.
Oliver is on the national kidney registry where people can find more information about him. Click here for more information.