LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Life has never been easy for Rachel Riles, who was born with VACTERL syndrome, a disorder that affects several areas of the body.
She needs a kidney transplant.
"I just have limitations placed on me, and I can't do many of the things I want to do because of my health," Rachel Riles said. "I think having a kidney would give me much more freedom."
Living an everyday life has always been a dream for Rachel Riles, and it can become a reality with a suitable kidney donor.
"I would cry tears of joy," Rachel Riles said. "I think it would just change my whole life because my entire life, I've been hearing about how my kidneys are bad. I need a kidney because I don't know if I could do this for the rest of my life."
Rachel Riles' mother and caregiver, Martha Riles, said it's been a rough 19 years for her daughter and that finding a perfect match would be life-changing.
"I know it's gonna be a blessing for my girl because you're going to give the gift of life," Martha Riles said. "That is just hard."
So far, Rachel Riles has undergone more than 25 surgeries, with one kidney operating at 50 percent.
"The kidney transplant isn't going to solve all of my health problems," Rachel Riles said. "I'm still going to have to take a lot of medicine and do a lot of other stuff, but it will be one less thing on my shoulder."
Although life has been tough, Rachel Riles continues to overcome her health challenges by focusing on what makes her truly happy — writing.
"It's important for me to write because I have a lot of things to convey [and] a lot of things to talk about," Rachel Riles said. "I want to share messages to other people in my own way through my own kind of characters and everything. If I get a kidney, I can eat whatever I want, and I can live more freely."
Rachel Riles is looking for positive or negative blood type B or O. If you're interested in finding out if you're a match and willing to give the gift of a kidney, email rachelskidney@gmail.com.