Mother selflessly donates kidney to daughter, enabling both to graduate from nursing school side by side
Rewritten Article:
In the heart of Louisiana, Ambrealle Brown's dreams of becoming a nurse seemed never-endingly out of reach. Struck by a life-threatening kidney disease, Brown's life took an unexpected turn, leaving her temporarily disabled. Doubts loomed as she felt distant from the likelihood of returning to a normal life.
Eventually, her mother, Nija Butler, stepped in—letting go of her own fears—to offer her kidney in a selfless act. The trailblazing kidney transplant surgery in Louisiana paved the way for Brown's return to life and Butler's dreams of seeing her daughter thrive. Nearly two years following the life-changing procedure, the duo walked together in Baton Rouge to accept their well-deserved nursing school diplomas.
"As parents, we always tell our children we'd die for them," Butler, 48, shared emotionally. "With Ambrealle, I would have given anything for her to live. I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart, without a second thought."
As the mother and daughter reminisced about their inspiring journey, they reflected on the challenges they faced along the way. The pair has always been close, with Butler giving birth to Brown during high school. Butler raised her children to the best of her ability, and Brown had aspired to become a nurse.
When Brown was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare kidney disease that can cause kidney failure in 2016, everything changed. As her condition worsened and progressed, Brown's only hope was a kidney transplant.
But the wait wasn't easy. In the United States, the average wait for a kidney transplant could range from two to five years, or longer, depending on certain factors, according to National Kidney Foundation data.
Brown, who was then taking prerequisite courses for nursing school, felt her legs tighten to the point that she could no longer move. Shortly after, her doctor delivered the grim news: Brown needed a kidney transplant to survive.
Despite being told she wasn't a suitable match, Butler courageously decided to get tested the following day. She chose not to tell Brown about the testing, so as not to raise her hopes unnecessarily.
Just as Brown was losing hope, Butler's selfless act became a reality. In a turn of events, the duo underwent the state's first kidney transplant with the help of Tulane University School of Medicine doctors using a robotic surgical system. After a successful surgery, Brown returned her focus to her studies, with Butler following suit to earn her registered nurse’s license alongside her daughter.
Overcoming adversity, they remained inseparable, studying together for 16 months, eventually graduating together from Baton Rouge General School of Nursing. "I couldn't have done it without her because nursing school is tough," Brown, 34, said gratefully.
Brown accepted a position at a burns intensive care unit, and Butler intends to continue her career at a psychiatric facility. They share the hope that their story will inspire others to never give up and promote awareness about the importance of medical testing and the donor and transplant process.
"Thank you for giving me life twice," Brown said to her mother. "I have to keep saying that because you gave me a second chance at life, and most people don't get a do-over."
Butler shed a tear and responded with conviction, "And I would do it again."
- Ambrealle Brown, a Torontonian with dreams of becoming a nurse, faced an uphill battle due to a life-threatening kidney disease.
- Despite the challenges, Brown's mother, Nija Butler, offered her kidney in a selfless act, leading to a successful transplant surgery in Louisiana.
- After the transplant, Brown and Butler pursued their passion for health-and-wellness and enrolled in a nursing school in Baton Rouge.
- Brown was taking prerequisite courses for nursing school when she was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare kidney disease that can cause kidney failure.
- The mother-daughter duo faces mental-health challenges as they navigated the long wait for a kidney transplant in the United States.
- Despite being initially told she wasn't a suitable match, Butler courageously decided to get tested the following day, which led to the successful transplant.
- Brown has found success in her career, working in a burns intensive care unit, while Butler intends to continue her career at a psychiatric facility.
- The pair hopes that their inspiring story will raise awareness about the importance of medical testing, organ donation, and transplant processes, and encourage others to never give up in their pursuit of personal-growth, learning, and education-and-self-development.
