Find a Kidney For Marissa

Find a Kidney For Marissa Hello, I created this page to find a living kidney donor. Please help share my story! My name is Marissa Lisowski. headaches, itchy skin. God Bless you all!

This page is to help me create awareness towards Polycystic Kidney Disease and to also get my story out in hopes that a living angel will donate a kidney to me. I currently have Stage 4 Polycystic Kidney Disease and am listed on the living donor transplant list at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida. Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is an inherited, incurable and very progressive disease of the kidneys that form fluid filled sacs that crowd both kidneys as well as other organs causing them to shut down and fail. A normal sized kidney is the size of your fist, a polycystic kidney can grown as large as a football. My complications have worsened in the last few years to the point that basic daily functions have become extremely difficult to do and my quality of life is very poor as well as my mental health due to this disease. My kidneys have developed hundreds of cysts all over and have become enlarged and projected to weigh a total of 20lbs causing them to push up on other organs as well as my ribcage making it very hard to breathe. I have daily chronic pain which causes me to be opioid dependent on pain medication. I have reoccurring renal cyst ruptures that cause urinary tract infections, kidney infections and ER visits. Most times antibiotics and my heating pad are my best friends. My hope is to find a living donor so I can have a double nephrectomy with transplant all in one surgery (around a 5 hour surgery with two different surgeons, one who surgically removes both kidneys while the other places a living donor kidney in my groin). Living donor kidneys are a better option because they survive longer and have a way shorter wait time than waiting on a deceased kidney. Being on the deceased donor list could take up to 5 years to get matched and in most situations kidney failure could already occur while waiting for the call causing people to have to go on dialysis. Dialysis does the work that your kidneys can no longer do on their own but it is not a long term fix. The 5-year survival rate for a patient undergoing long-term dialysis in the United States is approximately 35%. Not to mention the other serious health risks people can develop such as having problems with the AV fistula or graft that connects to the vein, This may develop into an infection, poor blood flow or a blockage from scar tissue or a blood clot. This can be life threatening and need immediate surgery. Others experience extreme fatigue, chest or back pain. muscle cramps, restless legs syndrome, low blood pressure during or immediately after that can make you feel nauseous, dizzy or faint. I am hoping to get a living donor transplant before the need for dialysis. My kidney function has gotten as low as 26%. but my kidneys are still functioning to the point I do not need dialysis yet. Two of my family members have already tested and were not passed through to be a living donor. If you are interested in donating, I am here to answer any questions you may have and direct you to the site where you can fill out your information to be called by a transplant nurse to set up testing. The site is https://mayoclinic.org/forms/florida-living-donor-transplant and after you can call the living donor coordinator at 904-956-3302, for updates. The hospital is the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and they have a paired exchange program if a donor is not the same blood type as I am. They will be matched to someone who is the same blood type and I will be matched as well. I know this is a big ask, but, its also a big give. A life changing gift of life and second chances. Any further questions please message me. The only chance I have is by word of mouth and social media at this time so please share my story. I appreciate you all for taking the time to read this.

A basic conversation between family and friends usually starts with either "How are you doing?", "How's it going?" or "W...
10/28/2025

A basic conversation between family and friends usually starts with either "How are you doing?", "How's it going?" or "What's up?"
I stopped sugar coating the answer. I started telling them the truth and stopped saying what I thought others would want to hear to make them feel more comfortable. I guess I just stopped caring about what other people thought and started caring more about how I actually felt. I cared more about my feelings than theirs. At home, I'm free to talk and open up to my husband, Mike Lisowski . He knows the truth and sees my daily struggles. He's my number one supporter and accepts me for me. I never have to act or pretend in front of him. He took the vows "through sickness and in health" seriously! I'm grateful for his love and support everyday. When it comes to your own mental health, sometimes you need to put yourself first. It's not selfish to prioritize your own feelings. But , it's very important to be your true unapologetic self. So, when people ask me how I'm doing, the truth comes out and it may make them feel uncomfortable. And that's O.K. because your people will accept you for your true self and the others can just leave. As my fifth grade math teacher used to say, "The door swings both ways." Sending you all hope and light at the end of the tunnel.

Keep going, You got this❣️🙏

I NEED YOUR HELP! PLEASE READ AND SHARE 🙏Hello, my name is Marissa Lisowski, I'm 44 years old and live in North Port Flo...
10/16/2025

I NEED YOUR HELP! PLEASE READ AND SHARE 🙏

Hello, my name is Marissa Lisowski, I'm 44 years old and live in North Port Florida. I have been struggling with a very progress and incurable kidney disease called polycystic kidney disease, also known as PKD. I'm currently in stage 4 with only 17% kidney function. These are my monsters. I live with them everyday. The pain is excruciating and the cysts rupture without any warning. All the white circles you see are fluid filled cysts. There are thousands and the doctors can't find my actual kidney because of all the layers of cysts there are. My kidneys push up against other organs as well as my ribcage making it harder to breathe. There is no place for my kidneys to go since they are so enlarged. They are the size of footballs and will eventually need to be surgically removed. Please consider being a living kidney donor. You can be my hero and give me a second chance at life. Click the link to my Microsite from the National Kidney Registry if you are interested in becoming my living donor. You can read my full story to better understand what it's like to live with this disease everyday and the battles I'm currently facing and will be facing in the very near future.

https://nkr.org/QNR989

I also created a GoFundMe.
Please consider donating to help me pay off medical expenses my insurance doesn't cover. I have been unable to work and fully disabled since March of 2020. We are currently relying solely on my husband's paycheck and his company's insurance. We are blessed to have insurance but everything isn't covered such as specific medications and procedures I need to take. I'm currently taking 22 different medications monthly and that will change once I receive a kidney transplant to much more because of the anti-rejection medications I'll need to take for the rest of my life to keep my kidney working. I'm also multi-listed at two hospitals, the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida and UF Health Shands hospital in Gainesville Florida. Each hospital calls for their own tests and my insurance will only pay for one hospital testing, the rest is on my shoulders to fund. Being multi-listed helps me to receive a deceased kidney donor quicker. Any donations, big or small, will go towards any medical expenses due to needing a kidney transplant. Thank you for your support.
https://gofund.me/b2827f1d

Consider being a kidney donor. There are over 100,000 people currently on the kidney transplant list just like me waiting for that call that will change our lives. HELP SAVE A LIFE, HELP SAVE MY LIFE🙏❤️




Marissa Lisowski Mike Lisowski Joe DeRosa WINK News The News-Press (Fort Myers and Cape Coral) WFLA News Channel 8 News 6 WKMG / ClickOrlando

***UPDATE***Yesterday, October 15th, I got my labs done and had to send back the lab kits to UF Health Shands hospital i...
10/16/2025

***UPDATE***
Yesterday, October 15th, I got my labs done and had to send back the lab kits to UF Health Shands hospital in Gainesville FL and the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville FL. These kits are sent to me every 90 days to make sure they find me the best match. Checking for antibodies and which blood groups I can accept for the best chance of accepting a deceased donor kidney without rejection. Both hospitals send in their own kits, each hospital wants their own results. One wants the kit sent back through FedEx and the other says to put it in my mailbox to be picked up by the postman. I still can't get my head around me traveling with my own blood vials in a box. Just handing it off to a complete stranger in hopes it gets where it needs to go without the vials breaking (that has actually happened two times already). Anyways, both kits were sent out. Waiting on the hospitals to know they received them. Checked my LabCorp patient portal this morning and my kidney function is still 17%. No change from last month which is a win for me. Still battling with insurance and hospital bills. Mike's insurance is changing in January and I can't get a straight answer if it will still be in network for both of my transplant hospitals. I still have no idea what my copay and deductible will be for specialists and how much my 22 medications will cost me monthly. And on top of all of this I'm getting reevaluated for social security disability. If I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all. I'm trying to stay calm and positive but it seems no matter what I do there is always another hurdle to jump over. I pray daily and have faith that God will get me through. He never gives us more than we can handle. Please please please share my story! Share my GoFundMe page, help me to reach my goal. I have so much weighing on me physically with my health and complications of living with stage 4 polycystic kidney disease. It's hard enough feeling the chronic pain and fatigue every single day. Please help relieve my financial burden so I can focus 100% on finding a donor and navigating through life with this very progress incurable kidney disease. Thank you for your support and God bless you 🙏❤️

Mike Lisowski Marissa Lisowski

Hello, my name is Marissa Lisowski. I am 44 years old and live … Marissa Lisowski needs your support for Support Marissa Lisowski's Kidney Transplant Journey

10/13/2025

*For educational and awareness purposes only. To make people aware of how I'm feeling now that my function is down to 17%. This is my daily norm now and should be expected for the reason why I'm staying home in my pajamas all day.*

Having polycystic kidney disease (PKD) with only 17% kidney function can feel like a combination of chronic fatigue, pain, and symptoms of advanced kidney disease, as the kidneys are unable to effectively filter waste and excess fluid from the body. Common feelings include persistent tiredness and weakness, pain or a feeling of fullness in the abdomen or back, swelling in the legs or feet, and high blood pressure. You may also experience a loss of appetite, a metallic taste in your mouth, and frequent itching due to a buildup of waste products and mineral imbalances.
Common symptoms of kidney failure
Fatigue and weakness: Chronic tiredness is very common as your body lacks the energy to function properly, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Pain: Chronic back or side pain is frequent due to enlarged kidneys, as well as abdominal fullness and bloating from cysts pressing on other organs, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Swelling: Fluid buildup can cause swelling in your hands, feet, or ankles.
High blood pressure: This is a very common symptom of PKD that worsens as kidney function declines, according to the PKD Foundation.
Nausea and loss of appetite: Waste products building up in the blood can affect your appetite and cause a metallic taste in your mouth, notes the PKD Foundation.
Itching: The buildup of phosphorus and other waste products can lead to persistent, dry, and itchy skin.
Other possible symptoms
Blood in the urine
Headaches
Frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Cramping, potentially from mineral imbalances



Mike Lisowski Joe DeRosa Alice Burkart Marissa Lisowski

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8ARfDoC/
10/02/2025

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8ARfDoC/

35 likes, 8 comments. “These are my monsters. I live with them everyday. The pain is excruciating and the cysts rupture without any warning. All the white circles you see are fluid filled cysts. There are thousands and the doctors can't find my actual kidney because of all the layers of cysts ther...

Mike Lisowski Joe DeRosa
10/01/2025

Mike Lisowski Joe DeRosa

Hello, my name is Marissa Lisowski. I am 44 years old and live … Marissa Lisowski needs your support for Support Marissa Lisowski's Kidney Transplant Journey

I had a girls day at the hair salon with my Mom. I feel so much better, mentally and physically. Just feel so happy an...
09/30/2025

I had a girls day at the hair salon with my Mom. I feel so much better, mentally and physically. Just feel so happy and myself again😍 Some days you just need to get your hair done.

This is a very difficult time for us. It's a time I need to ask people for help and doing this is difficult for me on so...
09/29/2025

This is a very difficult time for us. It's a time I need to ask people for help and doing this is difficult for me on so many levels. Im supposed to ask people for a second chance at life. My transplant team keeps telling me to share my story and they keep giving me different ways of addressing my issues on social media to ask people to be my living donor. Fact is I've had 7 amazing people in my life test on my behalf and all were not medically, physically or emotionally able to be a match for me. Regardless of the reason, I pray for God to bless them every night for wanting to help me live. That's huge to have someone care about me so much they are willing to donate a kidney so I can live. I'll never forget who they are. My husband, Mike Lisowski , is even going to test for a second time! He said no matter what he needs to do he's willing to do it to save my life. I have never felt love like that before. I'm so blessed, grateful and thankful for his love and devotion to me. I'm still asking the tough questions. I'm still sharing my story to anyone who's willing to listen or read about it. I'm still asking for people to donate either their time in sharing my story or money to help us pay off our medical expenses. This is not just a physical, mental and emotional journey. It's a financil journey too. I've been disabled since March of 2020 and I'm physically and mentally unable to work. We rely on my husband's salary and even though we are extremely blessed to have the insurance we have it still doesn't cover all of my Medical expenses. Please consider donating to my GoFundMe page. If your unable to, I completely understand, but at the very least, please share my posts so others can read it and possibly donate. I'll continue to give you all updates as I receive them. I appreciate you all for sticking with me during my kidney transplant journey. I love you all. Stay safe and God bless you 🙏 ❤️

https://gofund.me/1e117b82

Hello, my name is Marissa Lisowski. I am 44 years old and live … Marissa Lisowski needs your support for Support Marissa Lisowski's Kidney Transplant Journey

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