NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A Long Island woman in urgent need of a kidney is getting the support from her fellow New York Islanders fans who are helping spread the word in an attempt to find a donor.
Madison Sanalitro, 26, of Middle Island, received a kidney when she was 19 years old.
In 2020, it mysteriously began to fail and now she's in desperate need of a second kidney transplant.
"I'm just trying to stay positive and take it day by day," said Sanalitro, who is on dialysis three times a week as she waits for word of another donor.
Sanalitro is a big fan of the Islanders and at a recent game she held a large sign saying that she is in need of a kidney.
"I brought a sign that said, 'Calling all fans, I need a kidney.' I didn't really expect anything to come of it," Sanalitro said.
A photographer with the Blue and Orange Army, a group of diehard Islanders fans, snapped a picture of Sanalitro holding the sign.
A few days later, James Fesselmeyer, the cofounder of the group, contacted Sanalitro and told her they wanted to help get the word out that she's in need of a donor.
"This just happened to pop up in our face right in our section. We were like, geez, we definitely want to try to help support this cause," he said. "We really felt for her. The fact that she's already had to go through such an ordeal too, and now she's having to go through another major, major battle on her hands with this."
Sanalitro is grateful for the support.
"I'm so thankful, I'm so grateful. I really didn't think anything would come of this," she said.
Those interested in seeing if they are a match should email madisonskidney@gmail.com.
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