BeTempered Episode 95 - The 0.1% Chance That Could Save Her Life with Cheyanne Mitchell

A 0.1 percent chance can sound impossible until you hear Cheyanne’s story. In this episode, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Cheyanne Mitchell and her aunt Maria to talk about a journey marked by resilience, faith, and the relentless hope for a second chance. Cheyanne shares what life has looked like since being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, including a kidney transplant, the heartbreak of rejection, and the reality of now undergoing dialysis three times a week. Through it all, her determination remains unshaken and her belief that the right living donor is out there continues to fuel her fight.

We also break down the medical side of Cheyanne’s story in clear, understandable terms. Because of extremely high antibody levels, finding a direct donor match is rare. However, paired kidney exchange programs create new possibilities. Your kidney could help another recipient while their donor provides the kidney that matches Cheyanne. We talk about how the donor process works, the extensive screening that protects donor health, how insurance coverage is handled, and the privacy options available for those who choose to remain anonymous. The conversation also addresses common myths about living donation and explains why blood type alone does not determine compatibility.

Cheyanne’s story is part of a much larger reality. More than 90,000 people in the United States are currently waiting for a kidney transplant. That number includes people like Ben’s cousin Jordy, who is balancing dialysis while raising her one year old son. This episode becomes a reminder that hope often begins with a single act of courage. Cheyanne dreams of returning to a normal rhythm of life, stepping away from dialysis, building a career she loves, and eventually returning to school to become a veterinary technician. Faith, family, and community continue to carry her forward.

If this story moves you, consider taking the first step to see if you could help.

Start the living donor screening process here
https://www.osuwexmedlivingdonor.org/


Choose Named Recipient and enter Cheyanne Mitchell.

Even if you are not a direct match, programs like paired kidney exchange may allow your donation to help another recipient while their donor provides the kidney Cheyanne needs.

Find out if you may be a match
https://www.osuwexmedlivingdonor.org/


Listen and support BeTempered

https://betempered.com


Support the show on Patreon
https://patreon.com/betempered

Transcript

Opening Prayer And Purpose

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Dear God, we just thank you for today. We thank you for the platform that you give us here and be tempered. And we thank you for Cheyenne to be brave enough to bring awareness to this issue. And we also ask that you just share this message with who needs to hear it to give her what she needs, Lord, to heal. And um just in everything that we do, we ask that you open our eyes so we can be your hands and feet, Lord. And it's in your name we pray. Amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

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SPEAKER_06 0:31

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SPEAKER_00 0:53

Patrons Glass, a clear choice.

Introducing Cheyenne’s Story And Appeal

SPEAKER_05 0:56

I want to share something that's become a big part of the Beatempered mission. Patreon. Now, if you've never used it before, Patreon is a platform where we can build community together. It's not just about supporting the podcast, it's about having a space where we can connect on a deeper level, encourage one another, and walk this journey of faith, resilience, and perseverance side by side. Here's how it works. You can join as a free member and get access to daily posts, behind-the-scenes updates, encouragement, and some things I don't always put out on other platforms. And if you feel called to support the mission financially, there are different levels where you can do that too. That support helps us keep producing the podcasts, creating gear, hosting events, and sharing stories that we believe can truly impact lives. And here's the cool part. Patreon has a free app you can download right on your phone. It works just like Facebook or Instagram, but it's built specifically for our community. You'll be able to scroll through posts, watch videos, listen to content, and interact with others who are on the same journey. At the end of the day, this isn't just about content, it's about connection. It's about building something together. Not just me and Ben putting out episodes, but a family of people committed to growing stronger through real stories and real faith. So whether you just want to hop on as a free member or you feel called to support in a bigger way, Patreon is the door into that community. Because at the heart of Be Tempered has always been simple. Real stories, raw truth, resilient faith, so that even one person out there that hears what they need to hear, and Patreon helps make that possible.

SPEAKER_07 2:35

Welcome to the Be Tempered Podcast, where we explore the art of finding balance in a chaotic world.

SPEAKER_04 2:41

Join us as we delve into insightful conversations, practical tips, and inspiring stories to help you navigate life's ups and downs with grace and resilience.

Childhood Symptoms To Shock Diagnosis

SPEAKER_07 2:49

We're your host, Dan Schmidt, and Ben Sparr. Let's embark on a journey to live our best lives. This is Be Tempered. What's up, everybody? Welcome to the Bee Tempered Podcast, episode number 95. All right, Cheyenne. Good job. Good job. Hey, today is a special day. It's a unique day for us, and uh, we are excited to share a touching, moving story in hopes that the one person out there that needs to hear this hears it. But before we begin today, I want to say something directly to you, Cheyenne. You are not your diagnosis. You are not dialysis. You are not rejection. You are courage. You are resilience. And you are still here. Most of us will never understand what it feels like to be 13 years old and to hear the words kidney failure. But most of us will never understand what it takes to fight for years, to receive a transplant, rebuild your life, and then be told you have to fight again. But you do. In 2018, someone gave you a gift, a kidney that gave you years of possibility. And now in 2024, after transplant rejection, you're back on dialysis, back on the list at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, back in a fight you didn't choose. But here's what I know the story is not about fear. It's about hope. Because dialysis may keep you alive, but hope is what keeps you fighting. Hope is what brings you into this studio today. Hope is what allows us to say with confidence that somewhere out there is a match. And that match might be listening. Living kidney donation is real, it's safe, it's screened thoroughly, and people live full, healthy lives with one kidney. For the donor, it's an act of generosity. For the recipient, it's everything. So today isn't about pressure, it isn't about guilt, it's about possibility. If anyone listening feels even the slightest tug on their heart, you can learn more or begin screening at the osuwexmedliving donor.org. You can select name recipient and enter Cheyenne Mitchell. Or you can call 614-293-6724 and select option three. But more than anything, today is about sitting across from a young woman who refuses to let her circumstances define her. Cheyenne Mitchell. Maria Kreitzer. Welcome to the Be Tempered Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 5:55

We are blessed to be here. Thank you so much for having us.

SPEAKER_07 5:58

Well, I'll tell you, um this one hits a little different. You know, um, Maria, you and I talked last week with Sean when uh Sean came into my office and told me, you know, what was going on. And and I I vividly remember Shine Yu at the Preble County Fair uh many years ago showing pigs.

SPEAKER_02 6:22

It's my favorite thing to do.

SPEAKER_07 6:25

Well, and I know your dad loves that too. I know he raised pigs and you know he's uh he's big into that. So um, you know, as as I started to reflect back on that and then having the conversation with you, Maria, um, you know, it it's it uh just felt this calling like, what can we do? Yeah. And I thought, man, if we can get both of you up here to share your story, to share your testimony, that one person out there might be listening, and that might be the match. And um, man, if we can if we can make that connection, that would be amazing.

SPEAKER_03 7:05

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 7:06

And and to bring light, um, you know, to to shy into your situation and to the many other thousands of people uh in this this country and this world who who deal with similar things. So thank you both for coming up here today.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Thank you for having us. I I have to tell you, Dan, um I ran into Sean at the National Trail basketball game on Saturday, just three days after we met with our small um campaign group that's brand new. I hope to talk about a little bit today. But we finished that uh meeting and prayer in an agreement. And part of the prayer was we would love to be in partnership with Be Tempered. And then I ran into Sean and I was like beside myself. I got back to my seat and I'm like, I just talked to Sean Rubush from the Be Tempered podcast, and they want to hear from us. So it's an answer to prayer to be here today, and we are so grateful to have this partnership. So thank you.

SPEAKER_07 8:02

Thank you for sharing that. I I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

Yeah, I forgot to mention that to you, but it's the honest to God's truth. And and our small campaign group would tell you that it's an answer to prayer. Yeah. So thank you.

SPEAKER_07 8:15

What a blessing. God is God is amazing for sure. All right, Cheyenne. How we like to begin every podcast is to talk about the beginning. And I know you're young, but if you would, would you talk about what life was like for you growing up as a little kid?

SPEAKER_02 8:33

Oh, that honestly feels like such a long time ago, and it really wasn't. But um I feel like I had to grow up like immediately because uh you hand a 13-year-old medicine and they're supposed to take all of it all the time, every day, on time. Not many 13-year-olds have to take a handful of pills every day and be expected to do it by the mark every day. So that was a very hard thing for me and my brother. My brother was awful at it, which I wasn't much better, but um it was it was definitely like almost like slap in the face.

SPEAKER_03 9:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:16

When we were told because we didn't know anything about it. It went from some monthly labs, I had some sores in my like the corners of my mouth and some iron pills to like that wasn't working. And then they were like, Oh yeah, you have stage four kidney disease.

unknown 9:34

What?

SPEAKER_01 9:35

It was very like a shock to all of us. Oh, for sure. I would just like to add, so many may not know, but Cheyenne and her brother share this rare genetic disorder. It's called nephronephthysis, and we have been practicing pronouncing that correctly. So um it's definitely been pronounced a hundred different ways.

SPEAKER_07 9:54

Yes. Tongue twister.

The Rare Genetic Disorder Explained

SPEAKER_01 9:55

In fact, this morning when we were practicing practicing it, she's like, okay, that's making me more nervous. We're not gonna go there. I'll say the word. Um, so yes, uh to sum that up, so 2017, Cheyenne and her dad are finishing up at a physical, and he mentions she's sleepy all the time. A sports physical.

SPEAKER_03 10:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

She's sleepy all the time. She's not lazy. They're not lazy kids, just sleepy. And so lab work indicated that Cheyenne had an iron deficiency. And so they were thinking about anemia, replacing iron for about six months. She goes back, they're talking about these sores that kind of aren't healing around her mouth, maybe vitamin deficiency. Um, they send Cheyenne to, they repeat the labs and they're like, oh, it doesn't appear that we've replaced any iron. The labs are looking worse than they were. We're gonna send her to a GI specialist. And I'll never forget getting the call from my brother, who's very upset. And he said, sis, they called, they're telling me these lab numbers. I said, Well, what were the labs called? And, you know, having served in healthcare for many years. When he told me the lab name and the numbers, creatinine and buin to be exact, I said, Oh, wall, those, I've never heard of lab values that those are so abnormal. I bet what's happened, you you saw a doctor in the outpatient setting, they take the blood from her there, they've got to get it to a lab, surely. There's just been a fluke. And when they get her, you know, reevaluated, maybe these numbers are just gonna be normal. And so what happened was they they called him, these are abnormal labs. We need you to bring Cheyenne to Dayton Children's Hospital. That was the nearest children's hospital. And so I'll never forget getting there, and we're surrounded Cheyenne's mom, her dad, our immediate family, just trying to understand what's going on here. And in hindsight, looking back, they were telling us of a diagnosis without telling us. Like they were saying words like, there's no acute findings, which means there's chronic findings. Um, they were saying, we're gonna discharge you today, but within 48 hours, we're gonna see you back at the nephrology office. And so Cheyenne and her and her stepmom Sam, who we're gonna talk a lot about today, went to that appointment to only be waylaid by this stage four. And my mom was and your mom, yes. So, um, but leaving the ER two nights before Walt went to work that day, her dad, because we were just expecting a follow-up. They were waylaid with hours. They also told me that I had strep throat. Yes, at the emergency. Yeah. And so, not knowing, we were like, oh, okay, can strep throat cause you to have abnormal lapse? Yeah, I can't. Strep infection can lead to that. Here's some antibiotics. Um so yeah, fast forward Thursday. They're at the nephrology office, Cheyenne, her mom, her stepmom, stage four renal failure. Followed by, here's a dietitian, this is the diet she needs to follow, followed by a pharmacist, here's the medication that she needs to have. I think the appointment turned into like four hours.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

It was very, very long.

SPEAKER_01 13:05

Yes. And so what they say to them is hey, with this diagnosis with Cheyenne, her brother should be examined. So Friday, the next day, her dad takes her brother to the family doctor, same family doctor that these kiddos had been to their whole life, who offers some reassurance. Like at this point, we don't know there's a genetic disorder. We just know that Cheyenne's in fourth stage renal failure based off of numbers. There's a lot of investigation that needs to follow. But some reassurance was offered in that moment that, hey, the likelihood that Cheyenne's sibling, her brother, would also have this similar diagnosis. But we'll tell you what, let's have him fast through the night, bringing back outpatient lab tomorrow morning.

SPEAKER_02 13:48

Said it was one in a million that he would have it.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 13:51

One in a million.

Two Siblings, Two Transplants, One Family

SPEAKER_01 13:53

Which was, you know, a statistic that I think someone was freely giving to offer some emotional support. Um, so he takes him Saturday morning to have his labs. And by Saturday night, her brother is in the PICU pediatric intensive care unit at Dayton Children's fifth stage, which is end-stage renal failure, uh, receiving two units of blood. And they heard really harsh things like had we not done this blood work, we would have diagnosed this on an autopsy by the end of summer. Your son would likely have gone into cardiac failure on a soccer soccer field because both kids were involved in contact, you know, physical sports. And so it the journey really began from there. And so, as a family, and and Cheyenne, one thing she hasn't mentioned yet, she was raised in two separate homes. Her mom and dad divorced when her and her brother were two and three years old. And so it brought a lot of unity together. It forced it. And so, anyway, Cheyenne has shared this journey with her brother.

SPEAKER_02 14:55

Um his was just a lot harsher than mine in the beginning, in the beginning, because of, you know, it was where he was worse off than I was.

SPEAKER_07 15:04

How what's the age difference between you and your brother?

SPEAKER_02 15:06

13 months.

SPEAKER_07 15:08

13. He's younger? Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 15:10

He's 20.

SPEAKER_07 15:11

Do you remember, you know, being that's uh at a younger age, do you remember how you felt when you heard all this news?

SPEAKER_02 15:20

Well, I've always been like the I felt like I had to be the tougher one because my brother has always been like not.

SPEAKER_07 15:28

I don't know how to He's not here to defend himself.

unknown 15:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

I don't know. He's just always been like before my younger siblings came, he was my mom's baby. So and I was more of a dad's girl. So yeah. I just felt like I was the tougher one or whatever, which he would attest to that. Um but he it I was just like I had to sit back and just watch because I couldn't do anything but pat him on the back, tell him it's gonna be okay, you know. You don't know what to do, you're 13, 12, 13, trying to figure out how to navigate it.

SPEAKER_01 16:11

Yeah, pretty soon after their diagnosis, um, their care was all transferred to Cincinnati children's and they spent most of those years where you're really learning how to socialize and establish friendships and problem solve, all the things was really taken from them because they spent most of that time in the hospital. So much time in the hospital that they had like a teacher aide at the hospital that would come alongside of them and do their homework and those types of things. But um, sometimes they would both be in the hospital just down the hall from each other. So lots of uh lots of memories at Cincinnati children's and how blessed we are to have such a wonderful resource just out the back door when you think about it.

SPEAKER_07 16:55

So then how does that progress, you know, from from receiving both of those diagnoses at that age for the kids, for you and your brother? What's that look like? What are the next steps then to help, you know, give life?

SPEAKER_01 17:09

Sure. So for Cheyenne and at fourth stage, there was time, if you will. Time for her to look for a donor, uh, time where she could take medication and really follow a more strict diet regimen to help kind of stabilize the renal failure that was taking place. For her brother Wally, there wasn't time. He was, uh it required him to begin dialysis right away. He started with peritoneal dialysis, um, later leading to a bilateral nephrectomy, where they went in and removed his biological kidneys because his heart was so impacted at that time. And then he went on to hemodialysis. So he was diagnosed, um, like I said, in April of 17, just behind Cheyenne. He went on to receive a kidney uh donation in February of 2020, right before COVID came along and kind of shut everything down. Cheyenne received her kidney donation from her stepmom, Sam, in April of 2018 at 14 years old. So just a little over a year after her diagnosis, she received her kidney from Sam.

SPEAKER_07 18:20

Talk about that process a little bit, what that looks like as far as um, you know, someone wanting to give a kidney. And maybe Cheyenne talk a little bit about you know what it meant for you for your stepmom to, you know, be so selfless in her life to want to help save yours.

Life After Transplant And Daily Battles

SPEAKER_02 18:39

Um me and my stepmom have always been like sort of close, sort of just on the line. Right. She's always been closer with my brother because he's the younger one. Which, you know, gravitate towards the younger ones first. But after that, I think that I became way more like way closer with her because we could relate to a lot with all of our health things that were going on. But I was definitely very thankful that she which it wasn't just her, my uncle had stepped up and tried and just multiple people, but she ended up being the match and continued with it. So it was amazing.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

Yeah, and from our standpoint, just I mean, truly life-saving gift. I I oftentimes think about my brother. We've got two kids battling this disorder, disease, genetic monster is really what we would like to refer to it as. Which is so rare, by the way, Dan. So in order for these kiddos to have both inherited it, each parent uh gave an autosomal recessive gene. So neither parent carried the dis this genetic disease, genetic disorder, but they both contributed to it. And so it's like one out of what every 100 to 2,000 people might be impacted by this. That's how rare it is. And then even more rare that Cheyenne and her brother would both have it. And so um, it's been a journey to say the least. But there were some really good years, good years where Sam was healing from her donation surgery, quickly getting back to work in normal life. Years where Cheyenne was starting to experience life post-transplant, getting back to normal things that she enjoyed. Years the same for her brother, who is thank God, stable today.

SPEAKER_02 20:35

Yeah, he's doing great.

SPEAKER_03 20:36

Good.

SPEAKER_01 20:36

Um, with his with his journey and prayerfully every day just praying and and thanking God for both of them and their journey and and for Sam and her journey after donation. Um but it was quite interesting and even more interesting to be in the waiting room uh for Cheyenne's surgery, and then like hitting the repeat replay button to sit in that waiting room for nine more hours waiting on Wally's surgery. Um it's been quite the journey. And and many, many times people are like, wait, what did you say?

SPEAKER_02 21:14

Both of them. It's definitely a shocker to a lot of people that don't deal with like any medical issues. Um I've made countless, like, you know, you grow up, you make new friends or whatever, and I'll tell them, like, oh, I'm going to dialysis today, and they kind of look at me funny, like, why? Like, what's wrong? And so I just try to explain everything. And that's definitely something that I I don't love.

SPEAKER_03 21:45

Sure.

SPEAKER_02 21:46

Just having to it's a repeat. I'm on repeat all the time. Yes, I'm feeling good. Yes, I'm okay. Yes, I'm doing great. It's like, okay, I'm good.

SPEAKER_01 21:59

And it's

SPEAKER_02 22:00

Just over and over again.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

Her yes, I'm okay and yes, I'm good is how she copes and manages herself because she's not going to complain. So oftentimes people will say, I just saw Cheyenne. I've been praying for her. She looked great. I just ran into her Walmart. I'm like, Yeah, thank you. You have no idea the battle that girl is facing every single day. Every day.

SPEAKER_07 22:24

What gives you that strength?

Self-Blame, Rejection, And Adult Care Gap

SPEAKER_02 22:27

Well, Lord. Yes. But um, I just figure if I don't get up and do it, who's going to do it? Because nobody's dealing with this but me. So, I mean, other than my brother, but he's not, I mean he's good right now. So it's just I have to do it. It's not an option.

SPEAKER_07 22:51

Do you ever question why? Why me?

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Um, for the longest time I questioned that. But then I've watched um how this has helped a lot of people because I am very passionate about going to church and the Lord and all of that. Lovely stuff. So I think it has a lot to do with that because I talk to a lot of people. Which and it's not only through like new people that I meet from it, or it has a lot to do with the people I already know. People that know my dad know me, obviously, and he knows a lot of people. But I know that I talk to just I see a bunch of people that I know at Walmart or the just anywhere I go. I know everybody pretty much.

SPEAKER_01 23:48

But which we consider a gift. Right. It helps us share her testimony and it's helping us gain some a voice here. Yeah. I think, Dan, you know, fast forwarding, I talked about what life felt like when we could kind of go back to normal. The one thing that took place was Cheyenne and her brother became adults. So navigating healthcare as an adult looks really different than navigating pediatric healthcare, where every conversation was partnered by a group of people, multidisciplinary teams coming in and really making sure that Cheyenne and her brother and her parents understood everything. Suddenly, Cheyenne turns 18 and then she's navigating admissions to hospitals alone and navigating conversations with her healthcare team alone. And the reason I share that is because when Cheyenne was first diagnosed with rejection and failure, that information came to her during a hospital stay at Cincinnati Children's in July of 2024. A conversation that she navigated on her own with one confidant, but kept that information to herself for a lot of reasons. Maybe she wants to share why she kept that to herself. Maybe she doesn't.

SPEAKER_02 24:59

It was more of when I would have like I was terrible about drinking water when I had my new kidney. And you have to keep it hydrated, you have to keep it full of water all the time. You gotta drink all the time. And regardless of how many people pounded in in my head that I needed to drink water, I was just terrible at it. And just didn't think about it, just focused on being a kid, just being normal, what my normal is, I guess. And so I would have um like bad blood work and just they would see my creatin was a big thing, they would see it go up, and every time that it would go up, it would stay there unless you drank a bunch of water, and then after so many times of doing that, it got up to a certain level and it stayed at like three or something, and it's supposed to be at like 0.6 something when you have a brand new kidney. So every time it would just get worse. And when I would get into the hospital, it almost felt like I was getting in trouble when people would call me and be like you're in the hospital again. Like, you know, it just it sounds awful. So when that happened, it was like a big letdown, especially for me, because I didn't want that to happen. Sure. Obviously, you don't want that to happen after you have a transplant or of of any organ, but so it just felt easier to keep it to myself and then I figured out that I couldn't keep it to myself because I was having a port replaced. I was like, oh, I should probably tell somebody about this. I was getting it replaced or replaced in two weeks, and then I told my aunt and my grandma, and then I eventually told my dad, which I was terrified to tell my dad because I tried to keep my parents proud of me and not which obviously I didn't think of that that they needed to know that.

SPEAKER_07 27:14

Sure. So it was more of like a in your mind you felt like you were being a burden to being a burden, we're letting them down.

Crisis, Hospitalization, And Care Transition

SPEAKER_01 27:22

So that she did something wrong. I'm sure you've heard it. I mean, she's saying it without saying it, a lot of self-blame, sure, and coming to that place of understanding that sure, while there are some things that you can control, what has landed Cheyenne here in this place are things outside of her control. There are things that are happening biologically and internally that she could never control. And so, you know, a lot of that self-blame just came from the lack of understanding of I didn't do this to myself. She didn't land herself here. Nobody signs themselves up to land themselves in a position where they're just every day fighting to stay alive. Um I remember when Cheyenne said, I work in Cincinnati. She's at Cincinnati Children's. Can you meet me over at the hospital? Um, they're gonna come in and just talk with me. And I'm like, sure. She's a private person, but she keeps me abreast of how things are going in her life. And I get over there and um I know that we're gonna get this dialysis, not a dialysis port placed. I know we're getting a port placed. I know and understand that we're gonna get this port placed based off of treatment that Cheyenne is needing for her kidney. I was waylaid when I learned what we were doing. And even more waylaid when I found out that at this point she's being discharged from the Cincinnati Children's Pediatric Care because even though she could have remained in their care as an adult, like her brother has, um she was not eligible to remain in their care because they do not um administer adult dialysis. So when we receive this information, I remember in that moment feeling like, you know, so many thoughts and feelings, but also focusing on being strong and saying to Cheyenne, what do you understand about this? Um saying to the doctor, what's next? What are we doing next? And he said, She's gonna need to receive another kidney transplant. And in the meantime, she's gonna start dialysis. And so, you know, we obviously had our moment where we break down and begin to pray. We are so blessed to call our pastor, Josh, and he answers his phone every time and just walk in. Like, we just need you to pray with us right now, help us realign in this moment and come up with a way where I'm like Cheyenne, we we gotta share this, we gotta talk with our family about it. So respecting her as a young adult, respecting her as she navigates as the leader of her own healthcare, but also helping guide her. You know, here's what we need. And I remember how difficult those conversations were for her, but how blessed she is that she was surrounded by support. Nobody pointing the finger, blaming her. Sure, there were questions.

SPEAKER_03 30:13

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 30:14

They needed the clarification of what could you have done different or what did you have control over? But the navigation of switching from pediatric uh nephrology to adult has been terrible. Yeah. Extremely difficult. Why is that? You know, as a healthcare professional, what I would say is you have to navigate and advocate for yourself through healthcare. That's true for any type of healthcare that you need. But in this situation, like I said, you go from having conversations and meetings with groups of the multidisciplinary teams to thank you, to um now having to schedule your own appointments. Um you need to figure out where the office is located, which suite they're located in. Um, you get to the nephrologist today, and your labs are abnormal. So you need to go to hematology. You need to schedule that appointment for yourself. You need to locate where that office is. Here's the medications we're gonna change for you. We're gonna call these prescriptions and it's up to you to get to that outpatient pharmacy and pick them up. Where at the hospital, as a kid, it was like a one-stop shop. They came to the room, they focused in teams. She had a coordinator that was present with her and we scheduled every appointment.

SPEAKER_02 31:31

Yes, figured out where my just everything, everything basically put in my hand. Yes.

SPEAKER_07 31:37

It had to feel overwhelming. Oh, beyond beyond the diagnosis and the you know, the devastating news, I'm sure. Now it's like, I gotta figure all this out.

SPEAKER_02 31:50

Yeah. Yeah. And my first like appointment, we'll call it with them, was in the dialysis center. So it was closer to home. I thought it was great until I was there for about a few months, and I figured out that she couldn't be a part of any of it. No adult except for me could be a part of it because it's a dialysis center with a ton of people. You can't have a bunch of people hanging out with you, you know. It's not a room, it's a whole room full of old people and dialysis machines.

The 99.9 Percent Antibody Challenge

SPEAKER_01 32:25

So and for everyone's privacy, what Cheyenne's meaning is she has to navigate those treatments alone. So it's not like you get to bring a buddy along and sit down and visit and relax. So she does navigate her treatments completely independent. Um, we have some resources in place that assist with transportation. And um, so she's there at a minimum three days a week. So I think we're getting a little bit ahead of ourselves. What happened after receiving that initial diagnosis of rejection and failure in July of 2024 was immediately um heading to dialysis in August of 2024, where she has remained. And so initially starting closer to home with one healthcare organization, um, which was a journey for about eight months until Cheyenne in April of 2025 became so frail. Um, it was the Lord that intervened. She was instructed sick, very sick. And she was instructed following your treatment today, you need to go to the outpatient, to the emergency room and receive a blood transfusion. Now, this wasn't the first time, Dan, she had to do it, but what happened this day was divine intervention.

SPEAKER_02 33:35

It's the third time.

SPEAKER_01 33:36

It was the third time in a relatively short amount of time over the course of maybe two months. And um, this particular day, my mom calls me and she said, Hey, we're trying to get her here. And out of respect, we're not going to name any names, but they were unavailable. They were on diversion. And so um at that point, I made some phone calls within the organization I work for. And um, they were able to see her in the emergency room for this blood transfusion. And that is the point where I talk about divine intervention because when Cheyenne arrived to the emergency room, she could barely walk. Her hemoglobin was down to 5.3. Her platelet count was down in the 80s. She was hypoxic, meaning her oxygen was low. Her heart rate was through the roof. She was visibly discolored where the oxygen was so low. She had some bluish discoloration around her mouth. And so, what happened in that moment? What could have been to a different place, maybe an outpatient blood transfusion, turned into an 11-day admission at the hospital where, praise God, she received that intervention from. And ever since April of 2025, all of her care has transitioned there. So now she has a team of nephrologist, cardiologist, hematologist, uh neurologist. We added that in September. And then her uh transplant team at Ohio State, and then her primary care team as well. So um if she's not at dialysis, she's at some doctor's appointment most of the time. When she's not there, she's in the woods or in the hog barn. Those are her outlets.

SPEAKER_07 35:15

Do you remember that day?

SPEAKER_02 35:17

Oh, it was awful. I felt terrible and I just felt like sleep, like I basically slept for a couple of days. Yeah, pretty much.

SPEAKER_07 35:29

Just exhaustion.

SPEAKER_02 35:31

The first few days. It was just like I was out in pain and out.

SPEAKER_01 35:36

But yes. And so when that happened, when that discovery was made, she did switch dialysis centers uh to align with her new care team. Where I told you she's receiving all of those excellent resources. And we have just watched God move in her life. And at that time, Cheyenne, you know, really came to understand what it meant to have a partner with you in your healthcare. And so, again, while we reserve that respect for her as an adult, navigating herself as an adult, um, seeking health care, she's come to really understand what it means to have that partner. And so I thank God to be that person for her. She she identified me as her support person. So on her journey with the Ohio State transplant team, that's my role. It's an official title, Cheyenne Mitchell support person. And what a joy that is to walk alongside of her, but to really watch God move and provide and intervene. I mean, time and time again, this is a part of that intervention right now. Um, but what has really landed us in this place, so Cheyenne had her one-year transplant um checkup at the Ohio State University. And so when we were there, um we learned that Cheyenne's match is going to be a very rare find. In fact, Cheyenne, what did they first say to us?

Building A Donor Campaign And Myths

SPEAKER_02 36:58

Um, they said I was the like, I wouldn't match with a hundred percent of the population. Yeah.

Privacy, Pair Donation, And Primary Donors

SPEAKER_01 37:07

That's the face that we made. Well, we couldn't look at each other. So Cheyenne's on my left-hand side, and the provider says she did so she's reviewing Cheyenne's antibody levels with that. This is the face that I made because it doesn't make any sense, does it? No. No. Anyways. And so um, so she's sitting there and she says, and so Cheyenne, with antibody levels like that, you do not match with 100% of the population. And in that moment, Dan, I literally went into tunnel vision. I'm looking at this woman, I can see her, I can't hear her. And the tears are there, and I feel like I'm either gonna throw up or cry or maybe do both. I know I can't look at Cheyenne, I've got to gather myself here. And so, very wonderful provider, very knowledgeable. She was very sweet, finishes her conversation with us and exits the room. And at this point, I look over at Cheyenne and she's as white as a ghost. And I said, How are you feeling? She said, Not so good. And I said, What do you understand about what she said? And she goes, Doesn't make any sense. If I don't match with 100% of the population, 100 minus 100 is zero. I have a 0% chance for a match. And I said, This doesn't make any sense. So we're here for a transplant checkup because you're on a list. And so next young lady walks in, she's with the research team, lovely crew there, lovely crew. And I say to her, um, before we go on, we have some clarifying questions for the provider if she could come back. And she's like, She's with the next patient, but I'll tell you what, I'll give you her phone number. I'll give her your phone number and I'll have her give you a call. And I said, respectfully, we're about two hours from home, but we're not leaving until we better understand what she just said to us. And so she comes back in and she says, I understand you have some questions. And I said, Cheyenne, ask her. And she's like, if I don't match with 100% of the population, where's my chance to receive a kidney? What does that mean? And she said, would it make you feel better if we said 99.9 and we were like, Yeah, yeah, we'll take that point. We'll take it. And so um I said, more than that, help us understand how if she does not match with 99.9% of the population, how she's still a candidate to receive a transplant. And she said, it can happen. And I said, I know it can because we have faith in the Lord. We know it's gonna happen. We're not gonna take no for an answer. But in saying that, I was really trying to exercise that hope and that faith, you know, just speaking it to receive it and believe it and remind myself that we don't have to lose sight of this journey, that hope is not lost. And that, like Cheyenne said, she's getting up every day and she's working and she's trying because she has to. That's our goal too. We just have to stay alongside of her in this journey. And so at that time, Dan, we had some family come alongside of us. Our cousin, Jennifer Miller, um, has started a campaign for Cheyenne because the Ohio State told us we can't campaign for you, but you've got to get the word out there. What you need right now is visibility, helping people understand how they can help you. And so we're blessed to have um Jenny's leadership. She's serving as Cheyenne's campaign manager. That's sounds so official. She's bold and she is a strong woman of God, and she is just all about God's glory, Cheyenne's healing, and we can't. No, she doesn't. And it it's so comforting to know that though the group is small, comprised of some family members and some very close friends who are our family that have walked alongside Cheyenne in this journey, um, the visibility is there. I believe that's contributed to how you guys found out about Cheyenne's immediate need. Um, and why is this so critical? Why is time of the essence? Well, because we now understand how rare it is. And so every day until Cheyenne receives that kidney, her life will solely depend on her hemodialysis. And so when we think about the quality of life, Cheyenne has had 12 hospital admissions just since April of 2025. So we're not within one year, just shy of one year mark, so 10 months, 12 hospital admissions. She has received over 265 dialysis treatments since starting dialysis. She has received, we believe, around seven different blood transfusions or hospital admissions with blood transfusions involved. And so when you think about why it is so difficult for Cheyenne to find a match, well, that's why, Dan, because she has her antibodies and antigen she was born with. Then she received more when she received her first kidney.

SPEAKER_02 42:02

I've already gotten from a different kidney how many blood transfusions?

SPEAKER_01 42:07

I've got it same just over the year, but that that doesn't include everything since this journey began in 2016.

SPEAKER_02 42:13

Any sickness that I've had since then, or just all of it contributes to that.

SPEAKER_01 42:20

And so essentially you're finding a match for all of those things considered. And so um we've been told it's going to be rare, but that point one gives us hope that it's out there and we're just trusting the Lord that it's on its way. Um, I want to be crystal clear. We are by no means uh, Cheyenne, praise God, has health insurance. And there are some myths about donating. There's no cost to the donor. Cheyenne's insurance will take care of the donor. Um, there's also no money to be made in donating. People don't donate kidneys because, you know, there's money to be made. You donate kidneys because you have a purpose to a drive and a purpose to want to help save someone's life. But right now, what we're searching for is visibility. Like, could you help us share her story? We don't need any financial donations. We need just somebody to click the share button, somebody to share Cheyenne's flyer, somebody to just share the word and also to understand that Cheyenne's blood type is O. Lots of people have asked. You don't have to match her blood type to be considered a match because, like you are aware of, somebody can sign up to be a donor for Cheyenne, but a cross match where they give their donate, their kidney to someone in need that they match with. Yes, because they have a donor who matches Cheyenne. And so they cross exchange. Um, so you know, wanted to share that here today that it's been a big question.

SPEAKER_02 43:52

What's your blood type? What's your blood type? It doesn't matter what my blood type is. It's it does matter. But yes. For the sake of the crossmaster, it doesn't.

Faith, Seizures, And Scary Moments

SPEAKER_01 44:02

Yeah. And then another thing, we are so incredibly excited to hear that people are following the link and they're calling the Ohio State Medical Center and they're taking the health screening survey. Some people are starting to receive either email communication back or phone call back that right now they're working with a primary donor. So what that means is let's say, Dan, you and I have both signed up to consider donation for Cheyenne. Your blood type is O, my blood type is A. They're going to start with you as a primary donor candidate because you have her same blood type. At some point, you may be the match for her, but you may not be for different reasons outside of just the blood type. That's one of many things taken into consideration as a potential donor. So then I'm going to be the next person that they talk to. So that's why it's so important that even if you're receiving an email or a phone call that says, hey, we're working with the primary, please just continue prayerful consideration of donating. Please continue to share her story and her need for people to consider donation because it could be someone else. And so Cheyenne has not been contacted by the university. They have by no means let her know that they're even working with someone. They will not contact her until they are 100% certain that they have, in fact, a match for her.

SPEAKER_02 45:23

Yeah. And the only reason that I know this is because all of these people that have signed up or even clicked on it have been contacted. So they have told me that there's a primary. That's the only reason that I know.

SPEAKER_01 45:37

So out of excitement. Yes. Right. Like, Cheyenne, they found a match for you. And it's like, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's not it. That's not what that means. So we wanted to clarify a primary donor candidate is not a match. That does not mean the same thing. So we are still seeking desperately.

SPEAKER_02 45:56

That would be amazing if the primary candidate wouldn't, but it doesn't mean that.

SPEAKER_01 46:02

Not yet. Right. But it's on the way in the name of Jesus. Yes.

SPEAKER_07 46:06

For sure. For sure. Cheyenne, what does your aunt mean to you?

SPEAKER_02 46:15

Well, she's been my uh best friend since I was a baby, literally. I she was 15 when I was born. So I was like her real life baby doll, is what she's told me before, but still is. Right. She's my she's my right hip, pretty much.

SPEAKER_07 46:35

She's your rock.

SPEAKER_02 46:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 46:38

I think we know this answer. What does Cheyenne mean to you?

SPEAKER_01 46:41

Oh, she's my world. Um, truly. I remember saying to my mom, I'm gonna get emotional, when I was expecting my first child, how I love this baby like I love Cheyenne and her brother, because I was an aunt for 15 years before I was ever a mama. And so um it's just been a journey. And I think back to the way that God prepares us for different things in our lives. And undoubtedly, I praise God for many years of education and healthcare service because it's prepared me to have conversations with Cheyenne, to understand what they have to say, to help her understand it and to advocate for her. To say, no, we're not gonna take the phone call later. We're gonna wait here until someone can come back and talk to us. Um and we are just so incredibly fortunate to have her here with us. She has overcome so much. I mentioned 12 hospital stays, something else that happened in September, just a few months ago. Cheyenne uh began to seize. She's net, she does not have epilepsy, she does not have a seizure disorder. This has never happened before. But damn, part of Cheyenne's daily struggle is blood pressure. The kidneys aren't perfusing. So the heart demands the kidneys to work or the dialysis in place of that to work. And so hypertension, high blood pressure is one of the most chronic um fights that she's fighting every single day. We're we're closely monitoring those numbers. She's currently taking four different blood pressure pills, and they're constantly looking at them and titrating those. Um, and so in September, Cheyenne's blood pressure had gotten so high, unbeknownst to her and to us, that it actually crossed the blood-brain barrier, causing the brain to seize. And um, praise God, Cheyenne's seizure was witnessed by my mom. He was one of also Cheyenne's support primary support persons. I live with my grandparents.

SPEAKER_03 48:40

Yeah.

Stats, Living Donation, And Hope

SPEAKER_01 48:41

Um, it was witnessed by her. And we are so grateful for that because Cheyenne actually aspirated during that seizure. And had it not been witnessed, we could be in a very different place, one we won't speak of. She went on to have three witness seizures. And at one point, they did code her at the Preble County emergency room. And we praise God for that team that was a part of stabilizing her and and getting her to a higher level of care. But it has been that was such an incredibly scary phone call to receive. And um, we've just watched God like continue to just lift her back up. It's like we know this isn't over because we know what God can do for her. We've watched it. There's a song that's um do it again by Elevation Worship. And that is such a like a theme song for this case. We've seen you move the mountains and we believe you're gonna do it again. And I rest in that because I know I know that I know that I know that God is faithful and he's gonna remain faithful. And in these hard conversations and the the things that feel like a slap in the face, getting this most recent information about how rare it's gonna be to find her match. We are reminded that he did it before, and he's still that same faithful God today. And so I remember holding Cheyenne's leg, couldn't really look at her. We drove home kind of in silence. We stopped off for ice cream and for some fun at the uh scene 75. So we did some mental health care getting back from Columbus that day, but um I remember holding her leg and saying, sis, this is where we exercise that faith. It is so easy to talk about the faith, you know. But man, when it comes to exercising it, to walk that talk, that's a challenge. And when Cheyenne talks about helping other people come to know Jesus, it's living out her testimony.

SPEAKER_07 50:36

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 50:37

You know, and so we're so proud of her, so incredibly, incredibly proud of the courage that she has. She can't give up, Dan, because she's got way too many people counting on her to keep us in line.

SPEAKER_07 50:50

Well, you know, I as we go through this whole process and and preparing for this today, you know, I didn't know what to expect. And um the thing that kept coming to my mind, and you have harped on it over and over, is hope. Yes, you know, just hope. Because I I can't imagine the feeling that you felt, and that both of you felt when you got the news, and you hear 100%. But then that 0.1%, yeah, right? That's hope. Right? That gives that gives you hope. That gives everyone hope. And then the other word I keep hearing is strength.

SPEAKER_03 51:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 51:29

You know, I mean, whether you know it or not, young lady, you are a picture of strength. All that you've been through, you know, from a from such a young age to where you're at today, I mean, you are an inspiration. You're an inspiration to me. You're an inspiration to your aunt, to your family. And um somewhere out there, someone is listening that is that 0.1% match. And I will hope and pray that they come forward, that they feel that calling to come forward to go through the process. And uh, and that's hope. And you are strength. And, you know, um, I mean, I I I don't know what else to say.

SPEAKER_02 52:16

I I'm I'm so biggest thing I want to reiterate about a donor. You don't have to tell any of us that you're donating. You don't have to, like other than the actual hospital, they're the only people that need to know who you are. If you don't want them to know, it's not a big deal.

SPEAKER_01 52:38

Yeah, if you don't want Cheyenne to know. If you don't want me to know. Yeah, she wants to make sure people understand that you can maintain your privacy and your confidentiality. They don't tell Cheyenne who signed up. Um initially.

Cheyenne’s Dreams Beyond Dialysis

SPEAKER_02 52:49

Yeah, I don't know anybody like other than people who actually tell me, well, hey, I signed up. That's the only reason that I know. Ohio State doesn't actually tell me names or any like that even anybody signed up. So I'm allowed to ask the number of people. That's it. Which we don't know. Right. I don't even know that.

unknown 53:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 53:10

Well, and here's the other remarkable thing. You know, you and I, Maria talked last week, and and uh we had interviewed Sam Flutterjohn, who was the the the lady that started the chain at Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State, 10 people, right?

SPEAKER_01 53:26

20 surgeries in five days.

SPEAKER_07 53:28

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, just when I heard that story and and you know, was fortunate enough to to have Sam sit right there where you're sitting and and share, you know, she just felt this tug on her heart to donate a kidney and she didn't know why. Yeah. And she went through the whole process, and then here 10 people's lives are saved because she was the the missing link in the chain, you know, to help all those people. Yeah. And it's uh amazing woman, amazing story, a selfless act. I mean, just all the things, but so full of faith. Yes. Right? So full of faith and so full of hope and strength. Um, just an amazing, amazing woman. And I look, I did a little research on some statistics because I'm not aware. So just so our listeners know, over 90,000 people in the US are waiting for a kidney transplant.

SPEAKER_01 54:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 54:25

Right now.

SPEAKER_01 54:26

Yeah. Right now.

SPEAKER_07 54:27

90,000 people. A living donor kidney often lasts 15 to 20 plus years, sometimes longer than a deceased donor kidney. And people can live, you guys have said this, people can live completely healthy lives with one kidney, right? So I can donate my kidney. I got the other one. Yeah. I'm good to go. And when Sam was up here, she talked about some of those things that she has to do, which I believe drinking more water was one of the things, right, for her, which would be the same as for you. Um, and you've said it before as living donors go through extensive medical screening to ensure their safety.

SPEAKER_03 55:03

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 55:04

So um those those are those are just some stats, but um, you know, to kind of to kind of wrap this up, I've got a couple questions um I'd like to close with and and Cheyenne for you. What are you looking forward to doing the most after you receive that kidney?

SPEAKER_02 55:25

Not having to be on dialysis because it just makes me feel like crap. I sleep pretty much all day afterwards. Um after I get home, I don't eat lunch or anything. I just go straight up to my bed and go to sleep most days. Um so not being on dialysis and just not having as much like I have so many appointments. Like, obviously, I'm going to have a monthly appointment afterwards, but I won't have 15 appointments a month, you know, or more. Um just being more I don't want to say free, but free of those extra things.

Another Family Waiting: Jordie’s Need

SPEAKER_01 56:08

Yeah. Being more alive. You know, one thing that that I can help remind Cheyenne, January marked one year that she was medically removed from working. You cannot work, Cheyenne. You're putting yourself at risk. So I know when she thinks about getting back to normal, she would like to reclaim her identity as a, she'll soon be 22, as a 22-year-old young lady. Her birthday's March 15th. Um, and we're believing year 22 will be the year of the of the second kidney. Right. But um, she would like to reclaim that, you know, she wants to give back and serve, serve other people and and carry them through their journeys using her testimony.

SPEAKER_02 56:50

I worked at a daycare, which obviously sick kids, you can't work with them regardless. Right. That was my favorite job. And to have to stop that because of dialysis and hospital stays was I was devastated because it was just like my favorite. Yeah, you know, I had found a I mean, not one that I could stay in because of my health, but just one that I had enjoyed and I had to stop it because of it. So I won't be getting back into it because of the kidney, but um that's a goal. Share your goals, sis. Um, I would like to go back to college and become a vet tech. That's my big goal.

SPEAKER_01 57:33

When she was a baby, she always told us, I'm gonna be a vet and she was gonna take care of animals and children in the same building. And I said, good luck getting like OSHA and all those national creditors to give you a ticket to open a place where you can care for humans and pets at the same place. But if anybody can do it, it would be that girl.

SPEAKER_02 57:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 57:53

And so she, you know, encouraging her to keep her eye on those dreams. Absolutely. And reminding her that they're not out of touch.

SPEAKER_07 58:00

No.

SPEAKER_01 58:01

So they're not just not there yet.

SPEAKER_07 58:04

Yeah. But it's coming.

SPEAKER_01 58:06

It's coming.

SPEAKER_07 58:07

Maria, last question for you. Sure. What keeps you hopeful?

SPEAKER_01 58:11

All right, my faith is anchored in the Lord, truly. Um, Cheyenne's journey and her brother's journey and other things that we've overcome in our family. It's like I mentioned before, God has just been faithful to us. Um, He shows, He shows us His faithfulness, his mercy, his grace every single day. And um, you know, what Cheyenne doesn't know is the impact she's had on me through difficulties in my life to just pause and reflect that if she can do it, I can do this. I can do it. And we are so fortunate to have the support of our family, the support of our close friends who are our family, our church family, support through, you know, our hobbies. And, you know, in my case, my my co-workers are my family and they know Cheyenne. They love Cheyenne, they're praying for her and right now sharing her story and coming to a place where we worked with them. Yeah, she did. Uh, but coming to a place where they can understand what what the urgency is and what the need is and how they can help, and it's just share her story, please, you know.

SPEAKER_02 59:18

So I do want to really thank her and my parents and my grandparents, because I don't know where I'd be without them right now.

SPEAKER_07 59:33

So well, there's no doubt they love you. I do know that they're proud of you, and uh they find hope and inspiration in you just like I do, your aunt does, anyone listening to this. I mean, you you are an inspiration because you could easily lay up in your bed. Oh, I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_02 59:56

I'd love to just lay in my bed all day, but I can't do that.

SPEAKER_07 59:58

But you can't, you're too strong, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:00

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:01

And I see it, you know. I I've I've seen you over the years at the fair. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:06

You know, and uh I've made that possible through everything.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:10

Yeah, yeah, which is which is amazing, you know, to to watch you just keep taking that step and um and to keep fighting, you know, to keep the faith, even when it's hard, right? It's hard. And it's it's easy to question why. You know, why why me? Why again? You know why? Because you're so strong.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:32

Because I can do it.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:33

You can do it.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:33

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:34

That's right. You can. So before we end today, I want to widen the lens just a little. So you've heard Cheyenne's story, you've heard her strength, her courage, and her hope. And somewhere out there is someone who may be a part of her miracle and doesn't know it yet. But Cheyenne isn't the only one waiting. The fight is bigger than one story. There are 90,000 people in this country waiting for a kidney right now. And today, that number includes someone very close to our bee-tempered family. Ben, would you step up to the mic? Everybody knows Ben. He's our co-host. His cousin Jordan Geordie is also waiting for a kidney. Two women, two families, two futures hanging in the balance. This isn't rare, it's happening all around us. And Ben, I just want to give you a moment here to talk about Geordie, talk about that journey, and just to give us your thoughts.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:48

Yeah, so it's been uh been about a month that they've been on that journey. Um, she's currently getting dialysis and up there getting tests done at uh OSU as well. She's 30 and she has a one-year-old son named Miles. So that's what she's fighting for right now. And um, it's still raw for the family. Um, still haven't even been able to talk to my uncle really about it, just because it's new. I mean, that's something that they've always dealt with. Uh, she's always battled like diabetes and everything with that. And uh, so this is a new battle where everything starts shutting down on her and uh just going through that battle right now.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:25

So we will absolutely be praying for her, and maybe we'll have a cross match.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:30

That'd be amazing. God can do it.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:32

He can do it, what we can laugh and joke about, because that's what gives us the encouragement to keep the fight. Yeah, he can just bring it to life and blow all of us away.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:43

Yeah, and I hope he does. I do. I believe he can, and I hope he does.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:47

We are gonna be praying for Jordan. Jordy is her nickname.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:50

Yeah, Jordi. Yeah, she's my baby cousin.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:53

All right. We've got her, Ben.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:55

Thank you.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:55

Well, and I I, you know, Ben didn't want me to say anything because he didn't want to take away your story. But here's the deal. Again, Sam was up here, Flutter John, right? There's the Lord was preparing. There's 90,000 people out there who need a kidney.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:11

Yeah, you know, can we say thank you to Sam?

SPEAKER_07 1:03:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:14

And, you know, if if she can hear me when she hears this, I want her to know that when we were sitting in that waiting room at the Ohio State Medical Center, and we're just being waylaid with so much information, Dan. And it's really coming to life where we're at and what the need is. It was her story. We didn't know her name. We just knew that that was the largest cross-match donation. And it happened right here in the state that we get to call our home. And to then later on, like when you mentioned that, as soon as you started telling me about meeting Sam and what she did, I was like, Dan, I I know. Yeah, because that story's given us hope.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:54

It truly's been the biggest thing that they talk about.

Final Appeal And Closing Sponsors

SPEAKER_01 1:03:58

So yeah. And we've shared that story over and over and had no idea that we would know her name. Yes.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:06

And to know she was sitting right here. Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:08

Right.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:08

Yeah. I mean, God is good. It it's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:12

Yes. I I have one other thing I didn't mention. And so I'm to bet to the best of what I understand, Cheyenne, your journey on the transplant list, there's like a point system. Points are comprised of like days of dialysis, your age, your the factors that led into your kidney failure, you know, many, many things. And fruit, blood. Yes, antigens, blood, all of those things. And so forgive me, because I'm likely mis misrepresenting all the facts there.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:46

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:46

But all of those points equate to numbers that you've been on the waiting list. They told us that Cheyenne has been on the waiting list for 253 years. And so when you take that, like the amount of points that I've racked up with all of that considering. Because of how rare. So they told us that number the same time they told us about the 100% reduced to the 99.9. And so we don't fully understand that, but we believe that maybe that means she's sitting right there at the top when you think about the many years she's been on the list. But we believe that Jordan's going to be right there with her and everyone else. It is not lost on us that as we're sitting here with you, Dan, somebody's losing their battle to kidney failure or rejection. They didn't get the call. And we're so sorry, and we're praying, we're praying for them while we're also believing that that miracle is on its way.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:45

So anything else you'd like to to add to close us out?

SPEAKER_02 1:05:55

Not a whole lot. Not really. Um I'm gonna keep button and hand in my my pig whip down to my cousin and K Brian pretty much. That's about it.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:11

I would say if you don't know Jesus Christ, it's just a putting you away. You probably should.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:18

It helps me out a lot.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:20

I mean that's what I would want everyone to know.

SPEAKER_07 1:06:26

Well, again, inspiration, hope, strength. I mean, all the all the words, that that's you. And uh I I know you were nervous coming up here today. A lot of people are, and um you know, but it goes back to your strength. I mean, you could have came up with an excuse to not come here, right? But you didn't.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:48

Don't make excuses. That's not a thing I do. I try not to.

SPEAKER_07 1:06:55

I love it, I love it. Hey, listen, everybody, uh, if you feel even the smallest nudge, not pressure, not guilt, just curiosity, follow it. Visit www.osu w e-xm-ed l-i-v-in-g-o-n-o-r.org. And we will share this when this episode airs. It will be everywhere. There'll be a link. When you go to that website, select named recipient and enter Cheyenne Mitchell. And if you're listening and feel called regarding Jordi, reach out to Ben directly and we will connect you with the right process. You may not be a match, but you might be. And hope grows when people are willing to say, What if I'm the one? Cheyenne's story is still being written, but Geordie's story is still being written. And maybe just maybe you're part of the next chapter. Thank you, ladies.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:04

Thank you.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:05

We'll keep praying. Thank you. Keep providing that hope, that inspiration. Everybody, go out and be tempered.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:14

Hi, my name is Allie Schmidt. This is my dad Dan. He owns Catrin's Glass.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:19

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SPEAKER_00 1:08:41

Patrons Glass, a clear choice.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:44

I want to share something that's become a big part of the Bee Tempered mission. Patreon. Now, if you've never used it before, Patreon is a platform where we can build community together. It's not just about supporting the podcast, it's about having a space where we can connect on a deeper level, encourage one another, and walk this journey of faith, resilience, and perseverance side by side. Here's how it works. You can join as a free member and get access to daily posts, behind the scenes updates, encouragement, and some things I don't always put out on other platforms. And if you feel called to support the mission financially, there are different levels where you can do that too. That support helps us keep producing the podcasts, creating gear, hosting events, and sharing stories that we believe can truly impact lives. And here's the cool part. Patreon has a free app you can download right on your phone. It works just like Facebook or Instagram, but it's built specifically for our community. You'll be able to scroll through posts, watch videos, listen to content, and interact with others who are on the same journey. At the end of the day, this isn't just about content. It's about connection. It's about building something together. Not just me and Ben putting out episodes, but a family of people committed to growing stronger through real stories and real faith. So whether you just want to hop on as a free member or you feel called to support in a bigger way, Patreon is the door into that community. Because at the heart of Be Tempered has always been simple real stories, raw truth, resilient faith. So that even one person out there that hears what they need to hear, and Patreon helps make that possible.