CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Right from the start of the pandemic, many organ donations were delayed. Even two years out, many are still waiting for living kidney donors.

The list of those in need of a living kidney donor continues to grow in these pandemic times. This young lady, known as Markeyah Lewis, is on a nationwide search after her kidneys failed due to a diagnosis of lupus, an illness that attacks your body’s immune system, so it shuts down tissues and organs.

“I’ve on dialysis for 3 years,” said Markeyah Lewis. “I need a kidney transplant.”

While she has been waiting, Markeyah’s mom, Chrystal Lewis, did something amazing. When she found out she was not a match for her own daughter. She donated her kidney to someone else.

“I know that my kidney went to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to a recipient,” said Chrystal Lewis. “I have talked to him, wonderful gentleman. It puts her on the priority list. So that she is able to receive her kidney transplant sooner than later."

Sadly, in this pandemic time, Markeyah’s wait time is gotten a lot longer.

A review of the available data from the Renal Registry published by the National Institutes of Health found even early on in the pandemic, 1670 people missed a likely transplant that upped the list of those waiting likely from about 4649 to 6317.

This was estimated to add more than 1324 people who would go on dialysis rather than get kidney transplant. We do not know yet how long that back up will continue. It is one of the reasons Markeyah and others need more people to be tested to become living kidney donors.

"The fact is that most of the people on the national waiting list are people in need of kidney transplants. You can absolutely decrease that wait with more living kidney donors,” said Andi Johnson with LifeCenter Organ Donor Network.

Anyone can be a living kidney donor. For more information as you see here, you can hashtag #KidneyForMarkeyah to reach out.

If would like to learn more about organ and tissue donation, click here.