Each April, National Donate Life Month (NDLM), raises awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation, honors donors, and encourages Americans to register as donors.

“More than 100,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving transplant,” according to Donate Life America (DLA).

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Maya Jai Pinson was just 20 years old when she found out that she had a kidney issue. Luckily, Pinson is not among the 86 percent of patients who are still in need of a kidney. DLA’s kidney donation information highlights an alarming reality: three to five years is the average waiting time for a kidney from a deceased donor (https://donatelife.net/donation/organs/kidney-donation).  

These facts are just some of the reasons DLA “educates, inspires and activates the public to say ‘yes’ to registering their decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor.”

Pinson’s medical journey points to another reality— people with kidney disease are not always aware they have it.

“I didn’t have any clear warning beforehand. I went to the doctor for a routine checkup and that is how they caught it. The only symptoms I felt were that I was unusually tired and had a loss of appetite,” Pinson stated.

Pinson was shocked that she was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease because of her young age. Although this stage of kidney disease indicates a moderate level of kidney damage, when kidney function is reduced, dialysis or a kidney transplant is not yet required.

Nevertheless, Pinson felt frustrated and scared of the unknown. She worried about how her diagnosis would affect her life, and she was concerned about finishing her last semester of college, since she is scheduled to graduate on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

Fortunately, the ambitious student did not need dialysis because she received a kidney transplant before reaching that stage. Pinson was diagnosed with stage 5 kidney failure in October 2025 and started the transplant process. She received a kidney transplant at George Washington Hospital in Washington, DC, on January 8, 2026.

“I received a kidney from a direct donor before being officially placed on the transplant list,” she said. “My donor was deceased. Their family made a generous decision during a tragic time, and I received the kidney shortly after starting the transplant process.”

At the time of the surgery, Pinson did not know her donor, who had passed away because of a car accident. Afterward, she found out that she knew his sister-in-law. 

“My transplant saved me from dialysis, and I’m gradually getting back to my normal routine, including my studies and filmmaking,” she added.

Pinson is still in the first year of healing and adjusting after kidney transplant surgery, but she feels healthy and grateful, thanks to her donor, his family, and her parents.

Ironically, Pinson was not the only person in her family to experience kidney health challenges. Her 80-year-old grandmother, Jewell Neal, had been first diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease five years ago. 

“I am currently experiencing fatigue and a lack of appetite,” she stated. “Due to my age and overall health, if my kidney function declines further, I will likely need to begin dialysis to survive and maintain my health.”

Her daughter, Mignon Pinson, cares for Neal and accompanies her to all her medical appointments. She has now been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease.

The irony of two generations of women in the same family experiencing kidney disease points to the need of monitoring kidney health, and revisiting the consideration to become an organ, eye or tissue donor, if a person has not yet decided about becoming a donor, if the decision has not yet been made.

DLA stated that people of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors. 

“Your medical condition at the time of death will determine what organs and tissues can be donated,” DLA noted online. “On average, a living donor kidney can function anywhere between 12 and 20 years, and a deceased donor kidney can improve quality of life for 8 to 12 years.”

 “I would tell people that becoming an organ donor can save lives and give someone a second chance, just like it did for me,” Maya also said.

Donation and Transplantation FAQs can be accessed by visitinghttps://donatelife.net/wp-content/uploads/2026_Donation-and-Transplantation-FAQs.pdf. Learn how to become an organ donor in Maryland via Donate Life Maryland:https://www.donatelifemaryland.org/facts-about-donation.