Southfield woman needs kidney, Crime Stoppers looks for donor

(WJBK) - Crime stoppers usually asks for your help to catch the bad guys. 

But this time it is a plea for someone good. And you might be the one who can help save Kristina Staples' life.        

The Southfield woman is running out of time. She is hoping someone out there watching may be her match so she can start living again.

"All of my life I wanted to be a nurse," she said. "That was taken away from me."

Six years ago Kristina Staples almost died after a severe case of pneumonia. Combined with complications from her diabetes, it put her in a coma.

This once thriving young woman who always dreamed of being a nurse, was forced to quit school after she went into kidney failure.

"At first it was my eyes, I had problems with my eyes," she said. "After that I started retaining water and then my kidneys rapidly declined."

For the last four years she has been on dialysis, undergoing four hour treatments, three times a week, as the search began for a kidney match.

"Being on dialysis especially so young, you are not expected to live very long," she said. 

Her father was a determined to be a match, but couldn’t donate because of his own diabetes. 

Although her family and friends continue to rally around her, Kristina felt deflated. Then recently while supporting a friend at a Crime Stoppers support group she met Dindi Maloney.

"I am kind of private about it," Kristina said. "Everybody is always saying I should open up to people, you would be surprised how many people would be willing to help you."

She decided to share her story with Dindi who was just starting a new initiative at Crime Stoppers.

"After listening to her story, the thing that stuck out to me most is that she wants to be a nurse," Maloney said.

Crime Stoppers, which has expanded their outreach to other people in need, wanted to help Kristina. She contacted FOX 2 in hopes of getting the word out and maybe someone would hear Kristina's struggle and get tested to see if they are a possible match.

"For her to want to give her life to care for other people, I want somebody to care about her," Maloney said. "To step up and see if they can help." 

For Kristina, time is running out. A kidney would bring her quality of life back - allowing her to finish school, work again and maybe even one day have children of her own.

"Very, very very desperate," she said.

If anyone is interested in getting tested, call the University of Michigan transplant team at 1800-333-9013 and say you want to see if you are a match for Kristina Staples.