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My Kidney Transplant Story: Marc Perez
My kidney transplant journey began in 2009 with a headache that wouldn’t quit. For two weeks, I tried to out-stubborn it. But it kept intensifying until one day, while driving, the pain got so severe that my vision blurred. I pulled over and called an ambulance.
At the ER, the doctors ran tests and told me my blood pressure was dangerously high—so high they were shocked I hadn’t suffered a stroke. That moment was the first time I understood something bigger was happening inside my body.
I was referred to several specialists, including a nephrologist. After a thorough workup and a kidney biopsy, I got the diagnosis: advanced IgA nephropathy—an autoimmune disease that attacks the kidneys. My nephrologist didn’t sugarcoat it. There was no cure. The plan was management: a kidney-friendly diet, medication, and vigilance. And one day, dialysis and a transplant.
As hard as it was to hear, knowing the endgame from the beginning gave me a strange kind of strength. It didn’t make the journey easy—but it gave me clarity. I wasn’t caught off guard. I could prepare, adapt, and fight.
For years, I managed. When I was diagnosed, I was already in Stage 3, with kidney function below 50%. I stayed relatively stable for a long time—still declining but holding the line.
Then, in October 2023, everything changed. I got extremely sick and ended up hospitalized. My kidney function crashed. I went from Stage 3 straight to Stage 5—skipping Stage 4 entirely. My kidney function dropped to 15% or less, and my doctors told me it was time to prepare for dialysis and get on the transplant list as quickly as possible.
I believed two things could be true at once: that the right person might see it and step forward, and that sharing might raise awareness and help others along the way.
Marc Perez
I started dialysis in September 2024. I was listed at NYU Langone and multiple centers across New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey—some of the best transplant programs in the Northeast. I did what I could do: follow the medical plan, keep showing up, and keep believing there was still a path forward.
In early 2025, I made a decision: I was going to stop suffering quietly. I started sharing my story—first with friends and family, and then more publicly through social media and community networks. I believed two things could be true at once: that the right person might see it and step forward, and that sharing might raise awareness and help others along the way.
I also work for Comcast, owned by NBC, and I’m grateful that I had access to internal support and resources that helped amplify my story.
Then something happened that still feels hard to fully explain without using the word grace.
A woman in my neighborhood—Bayside, Queens—started sharing my story with her business and online community. One of her friends knew someone who was planning to donate a kidney altruistically and didn’t yet have a recipient. She already had a surgery date scheduled: October 9, 2025.
She was being evaluated at Mount Sinai. I was at NYU Langone. The two transplant centers connected, compared data, and determined she was compatible with me. And on the date that was already set—October 9, 2025—she donated her kidney to me.
Two months later, I can say this with real conviction: it’s the best I’ve felt in two years. The kidney appears to be functioning very well. Most of the symptoms I lived with are gone. There’s still work to do—my blood pressure remains high, partly due to the medications—but my overall outlook is extremely positive. I feel like I’ve been handed my life back, and I don’t take that lightly.
Dialysis was, without question, the hardest part of this entire journey. I experienced the full menu of side effects—sleep issues, muscle pain, and more. I’m grateful dialysis kept me alive, but I’m also grateful to no longer need it.
I haven’t met my living donor in person yet, but we talk often—texts, Zoom calls, real connection. We’re planning to meet in January. I can’t properly describe what it means to have someone give you a second chance at life. I don’t think words are big enough, but I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to live in a way that honors that gift.
If you’re waiting for a kidney—or any organ—please don’t be afraid to share your story. It might save your life. And if you’re able, consider becoming a living donor. If you can’t donate, sharing someone’s story can be powerful too. You never know who might see it and step forward. A stranger once did that for me—and because of her, I get to live my life again.
About the Author
Marc Perez is a 40-year-old tech professional, animal lover, and lifelong martial artist. Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have shaped him through discipline, resilience, and humility. Being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease forced him to slow down, step back from training, and face life from a new perspective.
After more than a year of hemodialysis and sharing his story hundreds—if not thousands—of times through newspapers, social media, SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio, and NY1 in NYC, Marc received a successful kidney transplant from a living donor on October 9, 2025. Today, he is recovering, thriving, and deeply grateful for a second chance at life—and he continues to share his story to encourage those still waiting and to inspire others to consider the gift of living donation.