Albertville grandmother asking for life-saving kidney donation

ALBERTVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Thousands of people in Alabama are waiting for a kidney transplant, including a grandmother from Albertville, who may have to wait 7 years for the lifesaving treatment.

“It’s scary because we Know that no one wants to go through surgery,” said Eva Flores, who has been waiting 6 months for a donation, but if you can save somebody else’s life, I think it’s a privilege.”

Eva has been managing diabetes since 1999. Two years ago, her doctor noticed her kidneys were both functioning at 40%. In February, that number dropped to 16% and Eva was placed on a waitlist for a kidney transplant. Every month she waits for the operation can take years off her life.

“My kidneys will eventually go lower and lower health wise,” she said.

Eva manages her diabetes and kidney failure with a strict diet, but she said her quality of life has dropped.

“I get really tired easily,” she said. “I have my days where I feel like I could go hiking, which I can’t, obviously, but I feel that way. And then there’s days where it’s hard to get out of bed because I feel so, so, so tired. And sometimes, for some reason, it’s hard to sleep.”

Eva’s body can only accept a kidney from a donor with type b blood. The waiting list for a kidney that matches her blood type is 7 years.

If someone feels moved to donate one of their two kidneys, she said the operation would save her life.

“I would have maybe 20, 25 more years to live, and, you know, I want to keep living,” she said. “I love life and I want to be healthy. I want to be here to keep on being a blessing to my family and to other families and, you know, serve the Lord.”

If you’re considering donating a kidney, call the Erlanger Kidney Transplant Center at (423)-778 – 8067. Even if you don’t have type b blood, Eva said if you donate your kidney in her name, it will bump her higher up on the waiting list.

The Flores family is also collecting monetary donations to cover treatment costs. Eva frequently travels to the Erlanger clinic in Tennessee that accepts her insurance, but she said lodging and appointment costs have become a burden.