In all my years with Make‐A‐Wish^®, only one kid has brought a presentation to their wish discovery meeting. That kid was Bella. Even more remarkable, she made that presentation to persuade us to give her wish away to someone who was more critically ill than she was.

I’m Sara Lister, President and CEO of Make‐A‐Wish New Mexico and a proud kidney donor. I’m also Bella’s friend. I’m reaching out in honor of World Kidney Month.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting hundreds of wish kids, and Bella stood out from the beginning. But every wish kid deserves a childhood, and you can help make sure that happens with a gift today.

The minute you donate, there is a child who is getting a wish, starting a wish journey, or who has already been granted a wish and has renewed hope. And hope is healing medicine.

Make no mistake, Bella was fighting a critical illness: ANCA vasculitis, a deadly autoimmune disorder that had already destroyed her kidneys by the time she was just 16. Despite 10 hours of dialysis every day, her spirit never dimmed.

But I’ll never forget the fear in her mother’s eyes: she was terrified of losing her child.

Bella’s first transplant, in 2020, failed immediately. Her body had rejected the donor organ, leaving her still in need of a kidney ― now more urgently than ever. I privately began to have tests done to see if I could donate my own kidney to save Bella. After seeing all our wish kids go through, I thought this was something real I could do to help.

In 2022, as she was back on dialysis and feeling down, Bella got a much-needed dose of good news when her wish to have a goldendoodle was granted! Captain Rodney Hook became her instant best friend and constant companion. He rested quietly with her when she felt low, and they celebrated every good day together.

Wishes are powerful. Medicine can’t explain all the positive effects that a wish can have on a child fighting a critical illness. The focus instantly shifts — from the painful treatments that occupy so much of their daily lives, to this hope-filled perspective that allows them to find, embrace and ultimately, believe in their one true wish.

My kidney wasn’t a match for Bella, sadly. But after months of testing, it turned out I was a match for someone else who badly needed a kidney. I donated last November. The voucher system meant that since I donated my kidney on Bella’s behalf, she would receive a kidney as soon as a match was found.

A match opened up in January 2025, and Bella received a lifesaving kidney transplant from a living donor. Thankfully, she’s recovering well. She already feels more like herself, and her mother finally has a moment to catch her breath. I can only imagine how she must feel.

As for me, I feel fine. Donating a kidney hasn’t changed my life all that much, but it’s saved/restored two lives: that of my kidney’s new owner, and Bella’s. And YOU have the chance to change lives, too, when you donate today.

Please make a gift now in honor of World Kidney Month. Your tax-deductible donation will help to grant wishes to children fighting kidney disease and other critical illnesses, giving them the hope and strength to continue their medical journeys.

Thank you in advance for your generosity today.

Gratefully yours,