Living with cancer adds a layer of stress to everyday life. Especially if you are on a donor list waiting for a kidney. But thanks to the support of her family and coworkers at Circle Ace Hardware in Colorado Springs, Jill is making the best of a very tough situation.

The need for healthy kidneys for donation is immense. A new person is added to the national transplant waiting list every 10 minutes, and there are currently 90,000 people waiting for a kidney. As in Jill’s case, the most common reason for a kidney transplant is kidney failure. The average wait for a kidney from a deceased donor is 3 to 5 years. Because a person can live with only one kidney, living donation is another choice for some candidates. Living donors must undergo an exam to determine if they are compatible before they can donate a kidney.

Jill went in for testing in July of 2016. She was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a plasma cell disorder that frequently affects kidneys as well. Jill spent the rest of that year in the hospital through Thanksgiving and Christmas. Jill had a stem cell transplant which put her into remission and made her an eligible candidate for a kidney transplant.

Darek, the store owner at Circle Ace Hardware, wanted to do everything he could to help Jill. "Jill has been great to work with," Darek said. "She is always bubbly and full of energy."

Darek reached out to a connection at Newell Ledbetter Advertising who put together videos and a campaign to help Jill find a living kidney donor. Over one hundred people applied, and there were 30 possible donor matches.

And then, in 2020 the COVID Pandemic hit which made people nervous about scheduling medical procedures. All the possible donors for Jill backed out.

Jill persevered. She undergoes dialysis three times a week – a physically draining procedure that lasts 4 hours. Jill is a fighter, and with the support of her family and friends at Ace, she continues to battle.

Jill has been working at Ace for the last 7 years. "Just the fact that she gets to go to work," Jill’s Daughter, Kori, stated, "That’s just enough for her to get to talk to people and feel the love and support from everyone that works there. Now she’s at the top of the donor list. We made it. We’re here."

As of the editing of this video, Jill is still waiting for her kidney. Darek and the rest of the team at Ace continue to support her.

"We’re all here for a reason. We’re supposed to love each other and take care of each other," Darek said. "It’s OK to come and ask for help. And it’s OK for use to give you the help that you need."