After Life-Saving Donation, Sacramento Women Trying To Help Firefighter Who Needs Kidney

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A retired nurse in desperate need of a kidney transplant found her answer at Sacramento City Hall.

Margaret Ong waited almost five years for a new kidney donor.

Jan Ebert, who's worked for the city for more than 22 years, says when she heard that her friend needed help, she had no other choice.

"For me it wasn't a second thought," she said.

Ong's kidney deteriorated and her doctors were concerned they couldn't find a match.

"This would have been my fourth year on the waitlist," Ong said. "It turns out that five out of my six siblings have an unknown kidney disease."

When Ebert learned she was a match, she jumped on it.

"I got my blood tested in December and was told I was a match and I said okay cool when do we get started," she said. "God gave us two kidneys and I don't need both of them."

The August surgery was a success, but many are still waiting. According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than 3,000 patients are added to the kidney waiting list each month and 12 die each day waiting for a transplant.

Ong recommends eating healthy and staying positive while staying active if possible.

"Exercising five days a week doing Zumba. To even two days before my surgery," she said.

Now they're trying to help Sacramento firefighter Tad Suwa, who is also in desperate need of a kidney.