“He’s my hero”: Woman’s life saved after brother donates his kidney
FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — April is National Donate Life Month, a time to raise awareness for organ donation. One North Alabama woman’s wish to continue life was granted recently thanks to a surprising match for her failing kidney.
Florence natives Jada McIntosh and Juwan Beckwith are an inseparable brother and sister duo. Recently, the two successfully completed kidney transplant surgeries in Birmingham after doctors discovered McIntosh had a bad kidney.
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An unthinkable match came from her brother. Due to an active lifestyle, Juwan was the perfect pairing for a healthy kidney and his sister credits him for saving her life.
“He really is my hero and I love him and I thank him for it because I need to be here for my daughter and my family,” McIntosh said.
Prior to the procedures, doctors informed the family that a match could take 5 to 9 years and during the wait, she would’ve had to undergo treatments for dialysis in order to remain alive.
The news was devastating for the 28-year-old, but McIntosh never lost hope. Her brother tells News 19 he felt a calling to step in for the betterment of his sister’s health.
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“I think God guided me to give it to her because I was working 6 days a week for 6 years straight,” Beckwith said. “It made me feel grateful and happy that I was able to help her keep going so my niece has a mom that’s able to move around.”
Their mother Chandra Stewart was there with her children for the entire journey.
She explained how it was difficult seeing her daughter go through the process, but she has a message for parents who may be waiting for their child to find a kidney match.
“Don’t lose hope be right there by them, don’t say anything negative always be positive, and make sure they know they’re loved,” Stewart said. “It could be a year, two years, whatever, but stick by your child that donor will come.”
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Following their surgeries in March, the two are back home now feeling good and on the road to a full recovery. McIntosh is thankful for the support of her loved ones and couldn’t be more grateful for her baby brother’s gift.
“I had the right people around me to guide me, the right people that prayed for me and guided me throughout the process,” McIntosh said. “If it wasn’t for them and my faith in God, I don’t think I would’ve continued to go through the process.”
The family says they want more light shed on organ donation especially when it comes to minorities. According to the National Kidney Foundation, black Americans are 3 times more likely to suffer from kidney failure.
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