In honor of Kidney Awareness Month, a Palm Beach Gardens woman is sharing her friend’s story after she received a life-saving kidney transplant.
The emotional moment was marked by the ringing of a bell — a milestone many transplant and dialysis patients celebrate.
Mikayla Chapman, a wife and mother from Palm Beach Gardens, first realized something was wrong in 2023.
After undergoing extensive bloodwork, doctors diagnosed her with IgA nephropathy, an autoimmune disease that can lead to kidney failure.
Her close friend, Meghan Marks, who is also a nurse, said Chapman's condition deteriorated quickly.
Chapman was forced to begin dialysis just days before learning a donor kidney had been found.
“Literal miracle that it even happened,” Marks said. “They’ve made it very transparent to her that it may be very hard for her to find a donor.”
Marks said Chapman was overwhelmed with emotion after learning she would receive the transplant.
“She’s over the moon that she’s given this second chance at life,” she said.
Chapman is now responding well to her new kidney, but remains under close observation by doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, as she continues her recovery.
According to Marks, recovery comes with ongoing medical expenses, so they have started a fundraiser to support the family.
Now, Marks and others close to Chapman are using her experience to encourage people to stay on top of their health.
They hope her story reminds others about the importance of regular checkups and routine lab work, which can help detect kidney disease early.
