A San Antonio woman with kidney failure due to lupus seeks a living donor online, hoping to shorten a long transplant wait.
SAN ANTONIO — A 24-year-old San Antonio woman is fighting for her life after lupus led to end-stage kidney failure—and now she’s turning to the public for help.
Miranda Peña, diagnosed with lupus as a teenager, is relying on dialysis to survive while she waits for a kidney transplant. But with a blood type O, she faces a 5-to-8-year wait—time she says she doesn’t have.
“I was first diagnosed with lupus when I was 15 years old and I was in high school,” Peña said. “Being a kid, I definitely had to mature with this disease.”
Her condition worsened in her early 20s. In 2021, doctors delivered devastating news: her kidneys were failing.
“My heart literally sunk because there was nothing I can do to save them,” she recalled.
Peña now undergoes dialysis three times a week and works full time to help cover medical expenses.
“Pretty much I don’t do anything fun because my life revolves around my health right now,” she said.
Unable to receive a donation from family—her mother was paralyzed in a car crash and other relatives have health conditions—Peña decided to share her story online in hopes of finding a living donor.
“In order for me to try to make this process go faster, I decided to post on Facebook,” she said. “So far, I haven’t had any responses yet.”
Peña’s case highlights the challenges many patients face on the transplant list. Those with blood type O, the universal donor type, can give to anyone—but can only receive from their same blood type, making it harder to find a match.
Despite the obstacles, Peña remains hopeful and is using her voice to educate others. “If I could speak directly to a donor, I would say you are giving me a new chance. A lot of life. And I would be forever grateful for you.”
She’s also working to spread awareness about living donation, encouraging people to look into the process.
“They actually say that people who donate kidneys live a lot longer life because the doctors are constantly checking up on you,” Peña explained.
Peña dreams of travel and building a future beyond hospital walls. For now, her days are filled with appointments and treatments—but her message is simple: she’s not giving up.
“All Miranda needs,” she says, “is one yes.”