Scroll Down for Big Update!!!
Meet Amanda
My name is Amanda Schmidt, and I am a 42 year old currently searching for a living kidney donor. I was born in West Texas and now live in Overland Park, Kansas, with my wonderful husband, Josh. We love spending time together walking in our local parks, reading (a lot!), and exploring Kansas City. We also enjoy traveling—especially to warm, sunny places.
I’m passionate about creativity and love oil painting, visiting art museums, and finding new artistic outlets. I have a deep desire to help others, and in the future, I hope to move my career toward counseling individuals who are coping with medical trauma.
Receiving a transplant would mean the world
to us!
My story
I was born with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), a genetic condition I inherited from my mother that has affected multiple generations of my family. PKD causes cysts to grow on the kidneys over time, eventually leading to kidney failure. Currently, each of my kidneys weighs about 10-12 pounds (that's the same as a full one-gallon jug each), making daily life extremely challenging. They are compressing my organs and lungs, which makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and do normal things.
I will soon need to have my kidneys removed, and I am hoping to find a living donor who can give me the chance at a healthier, fuller life—and help me come off dialysis. I have been on hemodialysis for nearly two and a half years. Because I have O+ blood type, my wait time for a deceased donor kidney is especially long, as I can only receive organs from O+ or O- donors.
The transplant team offers a paired donation (swap) program. This means that even if your blood type is not a direct match for me, you may still be able to help by donating to another recipient while I receive a compatible kidney in return.
Receiving a transplant would mean the world to me. It would give me the opportunity to build a future with my husband, hopefully start a family, and become an advocate for others living with PKD and chronic disease.
BIG UPDATE!
I am excited to share that I have a new transplant team at Saint Luke’s!
If you have previously reached out about becoming my kidney donor but never received a call back, please consider filling out the donor intake form below. This will give the Saint Luke’s team the initial information they need to begin the evaluation process. If you are new to my story and would like to see if you could be a donor, you are also welcome to fill out the form below.
Donor Intake Form:
SaintLukesKC.org/KidneyDonor
If you were healthy but were previously turned down as a donor through KU, or if you have already gone through testing at KU, please consider moving your evaluation to Saint Luke’s with me. You will not necessarily have to start the entire process over or repeat all of your testing. You will simply need to meet with my new transplant team so they can review your information and determine what is needed.
I still have not found my match, but I am feeling incredibly hopeful about this new direction. 💚
I truly believe my donor is out there somewhere. I just need to find them. I am not giving up. ❤️
💚 STAY CONNECTED
I have also started a CaringBridge, and I would love for everyone who has been following my story to sign up through my website. This will allow me to keep you updated as things progress and share important updates along the way. If you have been praying for me, sharing my posts, watching for my decals, or simply wondering how I am doing, please sign up and stay connected.
I am, of course, still sending out my kidney decals and 4"x4" stickers to anyone who would like to help me spread the word.
If you would like one, please email me at sticker4amanda@gmail.com
I have already received multiple emails from people telling me they have spotted my decals out in the community, and it is so incredibly exciting to see my story and message spreading! 🥹❤️
Every time I hear that someone saw one of my decals, it reminds me that this message is reaching people I could never reach on my own.
🩷 WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME
I am currently preparing for a double nephrectomy, which will remove both of my kidneys.
It is a huge surgery, but I am hopeful that it will allow me to be much more comfortable in my body. I am hoping to breathe easier, walk more comfortably, and move more freely.
I will spend the remainder of this year recovering and healing. With a donor in place, my hope is that I can receive a transplant in the new year, once I am fully healed and ready.
There is still a long road ahead of me, but I am moving forward with hope and determination!
COULD YOU BE MY DONOR?
Potential donors generally need to be free from serious medical conditions such as active cancer, severe heart disease, chronic infections, and diabetes, and should be at a healthy weight. The transplant team will determine eligibility through the evaluation process.
You don't have to know if you're a match.
You don't have to make any promises.
You just have to be willing to take the first step.
If you aren't able to donate, please share my story.
Share this post. Tag someone. Send it to a friend. Put a decal on your car.
Because I don't need everyone to be able to donate.
I just need my story to reach the ONE person who can. ❤️
To everyone who has shared a post, worn a sticker, put a decal on their car, reached out to a potential donor, prayed for me, checked on me, or simply followed along with my journey—
Thank you.
You are all a part of my story, and I am so incredibly grateful to have you walking this road with me.
Please sign up to get my CaringBridge updates and to follow my journey!!
This is a photo of me with my mom, Melissa. She also battled PKD and received a kidney transplant in 1993 that lasted 27 years. She passed away from COVID, but she was incredibly strong and inspiring. She dedicated her life to teaching children with special needs while managing her illness. I miss her deeply and carry her strength with me every day.
The PKD Foundation
PKD Foundation is one of my favorite organizations, and I’m proud that they’re based right here in Kansas City. They are one of the few organizations solely dedicated to advancing treatments and finding a cure for PKD. Through national and local efforts, they fund critical research while also providing education, advocacy, support, and awareness for individuals and families affected by PKD.
pkdcure.org
Request a sticker
Help Amanda in her quest for a live kidney donor by displaying this free sticker!
To receive a physical sticker for your car, office or favorite coffee shop, just email your name and shipping address to:
Physical stickers are free! Optional donations to help cover printing, postage and awareness efforts can be made HERE.
One simple share can save a life!
Download and share this image on your social media profile or posts to help us find a kidney donor match for Amanda.
Thank you for your support!
