North Carolina woman finds her mission to make a difference on Facebook

With over a billion users, Facebook has changed the way we connect with others.

For Amy Gray-Cunningham of Charlotte, NC, one Facebook post altered her life when her husband read an impassioned plea from Jennifer Scoggins, who was searching for a living kidney donor for her brother, David Ensley. Ensley would die without the transplant. After seeing the Facebook post, Gray-Cunningham hoped someone would reach out to help him.

“What started out as a casual conversation with my husband about a Facebook page, created by a high school friend of his, ended up changing my life forever,” explained Gray-Cunningham. According to Gray-Cunningham, the impossible became the possible when she heard God’s voice telling her she would be that someone. Gray-Cunningham had been searching for purpose in her life.

“I had been praying to be used by God in some way. However I never thought it would be donating a kidney to a stranger,” she exclaimed.

A living donation is usually a better choice than using kidneys from deceased donors, according to information shared on the MUSC Health website, as they are considered the gold standard for transplant surgery.

Guided by her faith, Gray-Cunningham not only saved a man’s life, but found a renewed purpose for her own.

Against 1 in 20 million odds, Gray-Cunningham was a perfect match for a complete stranger. On July 6, 2011, she shared her spare kidney and saved Ensley’s life.

Gray-Cunningham felt lucky her employer paid 100% of her short-term disability, so she was both financially and medically able donate her kidney. Unfortunately not everyone can afford to take off work for the 6-8 week recovery period. To ease the financial burden for patients suffering from kidney disease, President Donald Trump recently signed an Executive Order that paves the way to make it financially feasible for donors to afford the recovery period and reduce healthcare costs.

“As a living organ donor, I’m excited about the recent release of President Trump’s new Executive Order—Advancing American Kidney Health,” said Gray-Cunningham. “It gives me hope for change that could affect countless people waiting for a life-saving kidney.”

Gray-Cunningham wanted to share her journey to inspire and educate others. Most of the books she read while researching the process of donating a kidney were dry and technical. Her book “Daring to Believe” is a touching memoir about her experience. She recently traveled to Charleston to promote the book. Besides telling the story of her journey, Gray-Cunningham wants the book to be a resource of hope to those who need inspiration in their lives.

Daniel Island or Cainhoy peninsula residents interested in becoming an organ donor can get additional information by visiting MUSC’s website at muschealth.org/medical-services/transplant/living-donation. But there are also other ways to give back.

“Something as simple as donating blood can help,” said Gray-Cunningham.

To learn more about Gray-Cunningham’s journey, visit her webpage at www.amygraycunningham.com.