2017 Derek Mosley

DEREK MOSLEY

Kidney Recipient

Honored by Legacy at OneLegacy.org

Derek was on dialysis for two years after a diagnosis of end stage renal disease. He slept every night plugged into a machine that kept him alive. Derek’s family was ruled out as potential donors due to a family history of kidney disease. JoAnn, his best friend, turned out to be a perfect match for the donation process. Despite Derek’s and JoAnn’s varied backgrounds, JoAnn went on to donate her kidney. He owes JoAnn his life. Derek continues to keep this gift living from a very special friend by spreading the message of hope through organ donation.

Derek’s Story

JoAnn was one of the first people I told about my end stage renal disease and the fact that I would eventually need a kidney. JoAnn has been one of my best friends for 13 years and we consider ourselves a part of each other’s families. You can imagine how I felt about asking people for their kidneys as I was put on dialysis. The two years on dialysis were not without hardships as I slept every night plugged into the machine that was keeping me alive. My family has a history of kidney disease, in which my father passed away from, and my father’s mother received the first kidney transplant in Chicago, so my family was out as potential donors. I would have never predicted JoAnn to be my perfect match for the donation process, but as I look back at the entire experience I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Our experience is inspiring to all who are not informed on the amazing outcomes of donations. This race relation thing that is happening in America right now just proves that no matter what you think about color, background or economic status that there are still good things going on every day. She is a woman from Brookfield and I am this kid from the south-side of Chicago and I received her kidney to live, and we are as compatible as anything else! I received a kidney from someone who is of a different sex, different race, and different size, which just proves we are not just part of the black race or white race, we are a human race. If more people understood this, the world would be a much better place. We hope to get the word out that we have more in common than we have different. I owe JoAnn my life essentially, and how do you ever repay someone for that? All I can do is do the best I can to keep this gift living from a very special friend and continue to spread the message of hope through organ donation.