Meet Mayra Nieves
Mayra Nieves is an elementary school teacher in Hillsborough County, Tampa, Florida. Her journey with kidney disease began in 2018. She had always been a healthy person, but after having an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, she learned she had an autoimmune disorder and that her kidney function was affected. She was referred to a urologist and then to a nephrologist. After reviewing her medical records and undergoing testing for many months, she was placed on a kidney-friendly diet to help slow the decline. Eventually, she had a kidney biopsy and was diagnosed with Fibrillary Glomerulonephritis (FGN).
Following her diagnosis, she travelled to Gainesville, FL, to see an autoimmune specialist. She was prescribed a series of infusions (often used for cancer patients) to suppress her immune disorder. However, after the third treatment, she went into kidney failure. On August 3, 2021, she started incenter hemodialysis.
The school year in Tampa begins in August. Her school and her teammates were informed of her health situation and were very understanding.
Mayra was just shy of 30 years of service with Hillsborough County Public Schools and needed 30 years to retire. She thought she was not going to be able to go back at all, but after about three weeks on dialysis, she started feeling better. She was driving and getting around okay, so she decided to try to return to the classroom while doing in-center
dialysis in the evenings. Her initial goal was to teach until December, but she ended up staying on. Mayra also had a high school-age daughter who was active in the band and a dancer. She credits her dialysis center for working with her to accommodate her dialysis schedule, so she could attend her daughter’s evening activities.
Throughout her time on dialysis, her students and others would often ask Mayra about her fistula. Kids would ask, “What happened there?” Mayra explains that she was proud of her fistula and did not try to cover it up with long sleeves. “That’s my lifeline.
When someone offers me a piece of candy, I see my fistula on my arm and am reminded that it (candy) is not good for me.”
To get on the kidney transplant list, Mayra had to lose weight. She worked with a dietitian who was encouraging and supporting her with monthly goals. Her protein intake was very restricted, and she followed a strict meal plan that preserved the little kidney function that she still had. In February 2022, Mayra weighed 170 lb. and was able to get on the transplant list.
At this time, Mayra began looking for a living kidney donor. Her Transplant Coordinator encouraged her to find an advocate to help her get the word out about her need. Mayra says, “I did not have a problem talking to my church group or friends about my situation, but reaching out to strangers was very difficult for me to do.” Her assistant principal, a close friend, became her advocate. She created a flyer for Mayra, and they started sharing and posting it to social media. A year and a half later, the flyer reached the right eyes.
Meet Jenna Folken
Jenna Folken had been a teacher all over the country and even in Germany, when her husband was serving in the
Air Force. For the past 10 years,
she has lived and taught high school in Hillsborough County, FL. She’s a mom of two boys, but sadly her eldest son passed away in April 2022. Since that time, Jenna says that sleep has been difficult, and she often lies awake at night.
One particular night when she was unable to sleep, she came across Mayra’s flyer on social media. Right away, she noticed some similarities, first that Mayra was a Hillsborough County school teacher, and also that they both had the same blood type, O+.
Jenna immediately thought, “I can do this.” So, that night at 2 a.m., she filled out the online form to be considered as a living kidney donor to someone she
had never met.
Tampa General Hospital (TGH) followed up by email and provided her with information to get blood testing done. After the blood work results came back, TGH called her while she was at work. They could not find the patient that she was interested in donating to. They asked if there was another hospital where the patient might be listed. Jenna did not know. She had not kept the flyer and could not find it again on social media. Jenna recalls that she panicked at first, but then she remembered that she worked for the same school district. She searched for her with the little bit of her name that she could remember and found her. Although initially wanting to remain anonymous, she immediately sent Mayra an email in order to get everything straightened out with TGH.
Jenna states, “Once I know I can, I can’t not do it. I knew I cleared the first hurdle with the blood testing, and I needed to do everything I could to try to help her. My driving reason was that I did not want another family to go through the horrendous effects of losing someone. If I could save someone from that pain, I would go ahead and do it.” She shares this is something that she prayed about, and she knew it was God’s plan – and fortunately, her family and friends were all very supportive. She remembers her youngest son who was away at college at the time, saying, “That’s a really nice thing, mom.”
The Transplant Surgery
Transplant surgery was scheduled three days before Christmas on December 22, 2025. The pre-op waiting room was only the second time Mayra and Jenna met. Mayra had her husband, daughter, brother, and sister there to support her. Jenna brought her husband and a close friend to be with her.
The surgery was a success and both Mayra and Jenna were home with their families for Christmas.
Looking Toward the Future
Mayra
Mayra is currently focusing on her recovery and is not back to teaching yet. She shares, “I am so thankful and so blessed.”
“During my long dialysis journey, I learned a lot about dialysis-friendly foods, staying healthy and the importance of keeping up with prescribed treatments. In addition, I learned to wait, be patient, and trust in God and the process, which are often very difficult lessons to learn. I was on dialysis for four years, four months and nineteen days and even though it was very difficult at times, I continue to pray and trust. I knew there were many friends, family members and even strangers praying for me and encouraging me to keep my eyes on my goal. Receiving a second chance at life has been a great blessing. I thank God for Jenna, her commitment and because she allowed God to used her in such a manner by donating her kidney. I encourage every healthy person to get tested and become a living donor.
Are you currently on dialysis? I encourage you to get your name on social media. Don’t give up, there’s always hope that another Jenna Folken may come your way and give you a second chance at life. There’s power in prayers!
Thank you to the Kidney Center of Plant City for their care during my dialysis journey.”
Once fully recovered, Mayra hopes to return to her dialysis clinic and help fellow patients with nutrition counseling. She explains that kidney-friendly eating was the hardest part of her journey, and she has a passion to share what she has learned with others. “The diet is so difficult, but it keeps you healthy, transplant ready, and on the list.”
Jenna
Jenna has always been very active; she enjoys walking marathons and half marathons. Two weeks postsurgery, she was walking one or two miles, and after three weeks she went back to work.
Jenna says, “This whole process has opened my eyes. I have a student who goes to dialysis, and I am now better able to understand what she goes through every day.”
There are some precautions and restrictions Jenna needs to follow, including avoiding over the counter (OTC) ibuprofen/NSAID medicines, dialing back her usual protein in-take, and matching any caffeine or alcohol in-take with water. She also has a six-month blood work follow-up coming up.
Jenna shares, “I am grateful that through this experience God has used me to speak about my son and mental health. My plan is to do whatever God and Mayra ask me to do to help others.”
Share Your Spare!
Visit www.registerme.org to become an organ donor.
If you would like to help someone you know through living directed donation, talk to them and contact the transplant program where the person is listed. If you would like to help someone you do not know by being a living non directed donor, contact a transplant hospital of your choice and ask if they have such a donation program. Go to the OPTN Member Directory for a list of transplant hospitals
