'Chance at life again': Woman to receive kidney transplant from United Way employee

'Chance at life again': Woman to receive kidney transplant from United Way employee
I WILL JUST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE CHANCE AT LIFE AGAIN. IT WAS A ROUTINE CHECK UP IN JULY FOR A PLUM OSCAR THAT CHANGED HER LIFE. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES IN HER KIDNEYS BECAUSE OF MY BLOOD TYPE. I THE WAITING LIST FOR A KIDNEY FOR ME IS ROUGHLY LIKE 7 TO 10 YEARS. THROUGHOUT HER ENDLESS DIALYSIS APPOINTMENTS, SHE WAS REACHING OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO SEE IF SOMEONE WAS A MATCH ON FACEBOOK MESSAGED ME RIGHT BEFORE THE HURRICANE OR WAS LIKE, I DON’T KNOW, NOTICE. BUT I’M YOUR KIDNEY MATCH. JONATHAN OAKLEY LEARNED THAT OSCAR, WHO IS HIS DAUGHTER’S WORK FRIEND, WAS STILL LOOKING FOR A DONOR. SO HE GOT TESTED AND FOUND OUT HE WAS HER MATCH. I HAVE TWO OF THEM AND I CAN LIVE WITH ONE. AND SHE DOESN’T HAVE ANY OF THE FUNCTIONS. SO FOR THIS YOUNG WOMAN TO HAVE A LIFE MOVING FORWARD, IT ONLY MAKES SENSE FOR ME TO HELP ANY WAY I CAN. OAKLEY IS UNITED WAYS, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MISSION UNITED. SO LIFE EVERY DAY FOR HIM IS A MISSION TO SERVE OTHERS. I’M A BELIEVER THAT IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP, THAT YOU SHOULD ASK ARE TELLS US THE TRANSPLANT MEANS NO MORE. BEING TIED TO THE DIALYSIS MACHINE. NAME THE KIDNEY, KYLE. AND IT JUST MAKES IT SO IT’S NOT AN AWKWARD CONVERSATION IN A MONTH OR TWO. I’M NOT MESSAGE. YOU’RE GOING, HOW’S MY KIDNEY DOING? ARE YOU TREATING IT RIGHT? IT’S. HOW’S KYLE DOING? ASGHAR SAYS WORDS CAN’T DESCRIBE HOW GRATEFUL SHE IS. HE’S A GUARDIAN ANGEL TO ALL OF US. AND I’M JUST SO THANKFUL FOR LITERALLY GIVING ME A NEW LIFE. IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, SOOJ
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'Chance at life again': Woman to receive kidney transplant from United Way employee
Words cannot describe how grateful Ahlam Askar is to have a second chance at life.She was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure in July 2022."The process from there was just like a rollercoaster of emotion. Got really dark, got really scary and I didn’t know what to do," Askar said. She was desperately searching for the perfect kidney donor, while spending countless hours at her dialysis appointments."Because of my blood type, the waiting list for a kidney for me is roughly seven to 10 years," she said.Askar works in foster care and described how all of her work family were getting tested to see if they were her match. But it was unsuccessful.Until Jonathan Oakley came into her life."John Facebook messaged me right before the hurricane and was like I don’t know if you know this but I’m your kidney match," she said.Oakley is the father of one of Askar's work friends."My daughter and her have been friends for about three years now. So, we’ve come to know who she is," Oakley said. "In September, I heard that the dialysis was going rough for her and she hadn’t found a match yet. And we were the same blood type, so I got two kidneys, I figured she needs it. I’ll give it to her." Oakley is the senior director of Mission United at United Way, so life every day for him is a mission to serve others."For this young woman to have a life moving forward it only makes sense for me to help any way I can," Oakley said. "I’m a believer that if you have the ability to help, that you should.""Not only will my body 24/7 just go back to work, meaning it’s constantly clearing my body of toxins, clearing my blood, helping me excrete any bacteria. I am just overall going to have a better quality of life. I won’t be tied to a machine," Askar said. "I will just have the opportunity and the chance at life again."The transplant is scheduled for sometime later this month."Named the kidney ‘Kyle.’ And it just makes sense so it’s not an awkward conversation in a month or two. I’m not going to message her going, ‘How’s my kidney doing? Are you treating it right?’ It’s, ‘How’s Kyle doing?’" Oakley said."He’s a guardian angel to all of us. And I’m just so thankful for literally giving me a new life," Askar said.If you'd like to help with Askar's medical expenses, click here.
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. —

Words cannot describe how grateful Ahlam Askar is to have a second chance at life.

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She was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure in July 2022.

"The process from there was just like a rollercoaster of emotion. Got really dark, got really scary and I didn’t know what to do," Askar said.

She was desperately searching for the perfect kidney donor, while spending countless hours at her dialysis appointments.

"Because of my blood type, the waiting list for a kidney for me is roughly seven to 10 years," she said.

Askar works in foster care and described how all of her work family were getting tested to see if they were her match. But it was unsuccessful.

Until Jonathan Oakley came into her life.

"John Facebook messaged me right before the hurricane and was like I don’t know if you know this but I’m your kidney match," she said.

Oakley is the father of one of Askar's work friends.

"My daughter and her have been friends for about three years now. So, we’ve come to know who she is," Oakley said. "In September, I heard that the dialysis was going rough for her and she hadn’t found a match yet. And we were the same blood type, so I got two kidneys, I figured she needs it. I’ll give it to her."

Oakley is the senior director of Mission United at United Way, so life every day for him is a mission to serve others.

"For this young woman to have a life moving forward it only makes sense for me to help any way I can," Oakley said. "I’m a believer that if you have the ability to help, that you should."

"Not only will my body 24/7 just go back to work, meaning it’s constantly clearing my body of toxins, clearing my blood, helping me excrete any bacteria. I am just overall going to have a better quality of life. I won’t be tied to a machine," Askar said. "I will just have the opportunity and the chance at life again."

The transplant is scheduled for sometime later this month.

"Named the kidney ‘Kyle.’ And it just makes sense so it’s not an awkward conversation in a month or two. I’m not going to message her going, ‘How’s my kidney doing? Are you treating it right?’ It’s, ‘How’s Kyle doing?’" Oakley said.

"He’s a guardian angel to all of us. And I’m just so thankful for literally giving me a new life," Askar said.

If you'd like to help with Askar's medical expenses, click here.