Ramos Finds Living Kidney Donor Through Kidneys for Kids Network
News related to:Kidneys for Kids · 2 min read
BAY CITY MICHGAN, MI, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Saginaw father Jesse Ramos is set for a kidney transplant on October 21, after his story aired on Kidneys for Kids' Roku TV network. The network, which is a nonprofit based in Bay City, Michigan, has been instrumental in finding living donors for individuals on transplant waitlists. Kidneys for Kids, founded by living kidney donor Brian Martindale, who donated his kidney in 2013 to a 10-year-old girl named Jessica Schwerin, has been a vocal advocate for living donation. The organization has been a voting member of the OPTN (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network) since 2024 and is a partner of the National Kidney Registry.
Approximately 96,000 Americans are currently waiting for a kidney transplant, including about 2,000 children. Thirteen people die every day waiting for a transplant. Living donation remains the fastest path off the list, and in some cases, it starts with someone simply sharing their story. Jesse Ramos's story was one such case.
Ramos's story was shared on Kidneys for Kids' Roku TV network, which broadcasts stories of children and adults waiting for living kidney donors. The network amplifies these stories across its television network, social media, and website.
Ramos and Severson have consented to the use of this message, and Ramos, Severson, and Kidneys for Kids founder Brian Martindale are available for interviews. Video from the original interview is included.
Kidneys for Kids, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has been working to find living donors for children and adults on the transplant waitlist through its Drive to 7000 initiative, its Good Karma Entertainment Network on Roku, and its Human Angels program. The organization's documentary, "The Darker the Night," premieres March 11, 2027, in theaters and on Amazon Prime Video.
Kidneys for Kids has been a partner of the National Kidney Registry since 2024, and it holds the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency. The organization's efforts have resulted in a transplant for Jesse Ramos, who was able to find a living donor through sharing his story on the network.