Who am I?

My name is Crystal McKnight and I’m in need of a kidney to live.  I’m a retired(due to illness)

single mother of one.  I have many medical challenges that make my search for a kidney unusual.  In addition to chronic end stage renal failure I have an auto-immune disease called polymyositis which affects my muscles and mobility.  I’ve had my toes amputated on my left foot and battle extreme fatigue.  My son has been my primary caregiver since he was a teenager (he’s now 22) and we recently moved in with my elderly parents to alleviate some of the burden from my son so he can experience some sort of normalcy. I need a kidney transplant to help return to some sort of normal living.  I was sick most of my forties and as I embark on my fifth born day I want my fifties to be a time of strength, a time to build more memories with my son.  My son has gone above and beyond to care for me and is still making so many sacrifices and I want to be at my best for him.

My interests:

I enjoy reading and traveling as well as working in my ministry.  Due to my limited abilities those things have become a challenge for me to do.  At 49 years old my days consist of watching TV and surfing the web.  I long for a time again where I can be self sufficient.  As I have met so many advocates in my kidney journey I long for a time when I’m well enough to advocate for others.

What happened to me:

At the age of 21 I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  I have diabetes, hyper-tension, and heart disease on both sides of my family.  Back in 2014 I noticed I was having difficulty getting up from seated positions.  I also noticed no matter how much I rested I was always extremely tired.  I went to the doctor and was referred to have some tests run.  One of which was an echocardiogram.  What started out as a test turned into being admitted to the hospital with major surgery to remove excess fluid from around my heart.  Not long after that my muscles weakened further and I lost my ability to walk.  I was placed in rehab for several months and while in and out of the hospital my kidneys completely failed.  I’ve been on dialysis since 2017.  In 2019 due to infection I had to have my toes amputated.

How a living kidney transplant will affect my life:

My quality of life is severely affected with dialysis three times a week, for 4 

hours each treatment.  It takes a toll on my body and some days I’m completely wiped out.  It’s keeping me alive at this point but the help that dialysis gives is only a fraction of what a healthy kidney is needed to do.  A healthy kidney would give me so much more energy and give me a much better life expectancy and quality of life.

How to help me:

You can help me by sharing my story and the link for this webpage in social media and email.  Just by sharing this story you will help to save my life.  I’m currently listed at Temple hospital in Philadelphia.  You can call the transplant center at 215 707-8889 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm EST.  Ask for the living kidney donor coordinator.  They can answer any questions you may have confidentially.  My full name is Crystal McKnight, date of birth 7-17-71 and my blood type is O+

Where to donate:

You don’t need to be local to donate.  Testing can be done wherever you live and all medical costs incurred are covered by my insurance.  Even if you’re not a direct match for me, Temple participates in a paired exchange program where you could  donate a kidney on my behalf and I would get a compatible kidney from another person’s donor (sort of a switch)  If you have any questions please either call Temple directly or you can reach me at 267 281-4463.  If you are able please consider sharing your spare and saving my life.  We only need one kidney to live a healthy life…#kidneyby50 #shareyourspare