Hi. My name is Jalesa Smith. I’m 34, and never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I’d have to put myself out there like this. Overall, I have lived a truly blessed life. I have wonderful parents, a sister who is my best friend, and foremost I’m a proud mother to a beautiful young girl named Royale. But I’m making this, hoping the right person sees this because I’m in urgent need of a kidney transplant.


For most of my life, I’ve had no health problems and was able to pursue my passion of working with children, most recently at a local after-school program. But in May of last year, I had to go to the hospital and learned that high blood pressure had caused my kidneys to fail.


I do dialysis every night for nine hours to stay alive and it takes a huge toll on my body and it has impacted everything that I knew to be normal. I constantly feel unwell and without my mom’s support, I’m not sure where I’d be.

A living kidney donor would not only save my life, but allow me to live without constantly feeling unwell. More than anything, I want to be an active mom and continue to be there for my daughter the way my mom has with me. I’ve lost forty pounds, I’m on a healthy path, and was able to complete my master’s degree remotely in early childhood education. I’m ready to take the world on, and if given the gift of life, I promise to pay it forward in as many ways possible.

I would be so grateful if you shared my story. Please help me find a living donor. Thank you.