Burlington Resident Destiny Charles Celebrates 9-Year Kidney Transplant Anniversary
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ - Destiny Charles recently celebrated her 9-year anniversary since receiving a lifesaving kidney transplant. Her journey from battling a kidney disorder as a teenager to becoming an ICU nurse at Cooper University Hospital is a story of hope and resilience.
Since her successful kidney transplant, Destiny is passionate about advocating for NJ Sharing Network, the nonprofit organization responsible for the recovery of donated organs and tissue in the Garden State. She actively shares her story with others to encourage more people to register as organ and tissue donors.
“Every day is a gift. I have been given a second chance to live my best life and offer hope to others who are waiting for lifesaving transplants,” said Destiny.
In 2005, Destiny's health journey began when she was a teenager getting ready to begin her first year at Plainfield High School.
“I wanted to join the track team,” she recalled. “During my routine physical, it showed protein in my urine, which led to a diagnosis of minimal change syndrome.”
Despite initial hopes, Destiny's kidney function declined in the years that followed. At the age of 21, she needed dialysis treatments to keep her alive. Destiny faced the possibility of a lengthy wait for a transplant, but she remained optimistic. Despite her failing health, Destiny continued to study as a full-time student at Rutgers University, while also working full-time.
“Dialysis was never easy, and life was hard. I tried to remain positive and live my life as best as I could – even though I often had to carry my dialysis machine around with me in a big box,” said Destiny.
In 2015, Destiny’s life began to change for the better when her aunt, Pelrique Price, generously donated her kidney as part of a paired kidney exchange program. Thanks to Pelrique’s gift, Destiny soon received ‘the call’ that a kidney match was ready for her transplant.
On March 17, 2015, Destiny’s successful kidney transplant surgery put her on a fast track to full recovery.
“I remember feeling lighter and more energized right away. I also looked forward to eating and enjoying food without the terrible aftertaste that I had before,” said Destiny.
Destiny’s successful kidney transplant enabled her to pursue her passion for nursing. Inspired by her dialysis nurses, she completed nursing school and now works as an ICU nurse. Her personal life has also flourished since her transplant. She was married in 2020 and continues to travel the world with her husband, Keon Charles. Their adventures have taken them to destinations like Dubai, Greece, Cuba, and the Caribbean islands.
Grateful for the gift of life, Destiny is a testament to the transformative power of organ donation and the resilience of the human spirit.
According to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), there are over 100,000 Americans – nearly 4,000 of whom live in New Jersey – waiting for a lifesaving transplant. To learn more, get involved, and join the National Donate Life Registry as an organ and tissue donor, visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org.
About NJ Sharing Network
NJ Sharing Network, headquartered in New Providence, NJ, is the federally designated non-profit organization (OPO) focused on saving and enhancing lives through the recovery of donated organs and tissue in the Garden State. NJ Sharing Network partners with an extensive network of 54 local hospitals to provide hope for the nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, and it is part of the national recovery system for the over 100,000 people on the national transplant waiting list. For five consecutive years, NJ Sharing Network has reported organ donation records, and 3.8 million New Jerseyans are registered as organ and tissue donors, according to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC). Among the top performing OPOs in the nation, NJ Sharing Network has been recognized by NJBIZ for six consecutive years as one of the state’s ‘Best Places to Work.’ To learn more, get involved, and join the National Donate Life Registry as an organ and tissue donor, visit www.NJSharingNetwork.org.
PHOTO CAPTION – Keon and Destiny Charles (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)
What's Related