Who Am I?

My name is Mary Mastrapasqua Fleaner and I have lived in Nashville, Tennessee for the past 37 years. I have a wonderful stepdaughter (Kelsey – 31 years old) and two beautiful grandchildren… Colson (11 months old) and Emma (6 years old). I graduated from Hillsboro High School (Nashville) in 1996 and then graduated from Tusculum College in Greenville, Tennessee in 2001 with a double major (Bachelor of Arts) in Early Childhood and Special Education.

After graduating from Tusculum College, I began my professional career in the educational field working at High Hopes, a preschool for children with special needs, for five years. I then continued gaining incredible knowledge and experience with children by working at Hillwood Playcare for the next ten years. During this time, I was blessed to continue tutoring, babysitting and working with children with special needs. I also worked at the Y with a program called Full Circle where I learned so very much regarding programs and fundraisers for special needs. After my time at Hillwood Playcare, I worked at St. George’s Kindergarten for the next five years. During this time, I was an assistant teacher, acted as an aid to children with special needs and eventually became a lead teacher. Unfortunately, I had to put my love for teaching and working with children with special needs on hold in 2020 when my kidney failure became worse and I had to start dialysis.

The Beginning

I initially learned of my kidney disease during a routine blood test in 2013 when I received a call from my doctor that I was in the beginning stages of kidney failure. I was 34 years old and was standing in my classroom cleaning up for Thanksgiving break. At the time, I was living life to the fullest and was excited about my future. I had always taken good care of myself and was very physically active with various activities such as gardening, camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, horseback riding and rock climbing. I was also volunteering with various charitable and religious organizations such as a Sunday School teacher, working with the homeless, caring for the elderly at nursing homes and cleaning houses. I was also an advocate with the Juvenile Diabetic Research Foundation (JDRF) and cared for children with diabetes while teaching in various schools.

Despite being very overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty upon hearing the news that I had early-onset of kidney failure, I continued to live my life to the fullest enjoying my daily physical activities, volunteering, teaching and working with children. The quote “Faith without works is dead” was instilled in me since childhood, so I put in the work, changing my exercise routine, diet, and made lifestyle changes accordingly. Coming from a very spiritual upbringing, I put my trust in God’s hands and found solace in this, prayer and meditation.

My kidney function deteriorated to a dangerous level in October 2020 and I had no choice but to start dialysis. Dialysis does not cure your kidney failure and it only replaces part of your kidney function. It also causes both short and long-term debilitating side-effects along with physical limitations and restrictions. At the same time, I was strongly advised to get onto a kidney transplant list. After a thorough medical evaluation and testing, I was soon accepted on the Kidney Transplant Waiting List at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Acceptance onto the Kidney Transplant List means waiting for a kidney from a deceased donor to become available with an average waiting list time of 3-7 years or finding a living kidney donor on your own.

Living Donor Testimonials

My Current Situation

When COVID-19 started in 2020, I was teaching classes on Zoom. I started to notice that my energy, stamina and focus were diminishing. Dialysis turned my life upside down and I soon became extremely weak, fatigued and physically unable to perform my normal physical activities. The simplest of things in life became extremely difficult to do which was very frustrating and depressing. I have missed too many birthdays, celebrations, church sermons and spending special moments with my family and friends due to my kidney failure and the effects of dialysis. I also had to give up the one thing I loved the most…. teaching children. Being a teacher was my identity before starting dialysis. I loved teaching and absolutely adored my students. My heart broke when doctor appointments, daily dialysis treatments at home and hospitalizations took the place of my job.

Over the past few years on the Kidney Transplant Waiting List, I was offered on three separate occasions a kidney from a deceased donor. Each time I arrived at the hospital hoping and praying that I would receive a kidney my hopes and dreams were crushed when I was told that the kidney from the deceased donor was not viable due to various reasons. After these repeated disappointments and much prayer, I faced the reality that my body was getting weaker. As difficult as it was, I now had to consider a kidney from a living donor.

Various family members and friends were all evaluated as potential living kidney donors and were found to be medically ineligible as donors which is why I need help in finding a living kidney donor outside of my immediate family and close friends.

Hospital transplant centers DO NOT help patients find living kidney donors and the responsibility solely relies on the individual in need of a kidney transplant to find a living donor on their own.

What Would I Do With The Gift Of Life

If I were to receive The Gift of Life of a new kidney from a Living Donor, it would dramatically improve the longevity and quality of my life and enable me to continue being a loving daughter, sister, mother and grandmother. Family is very important to me and their love, encouragement and support during my battle with kidney failure has been so inspirational to me and my motivation to keep fighting this difficult battle. Throughout my battle with kidney failure and doing home hemodialysis, my faith in God has grown stronger and our Lord has given me the strength, courage, and determination to find my inner strength to continue to keep pushing forward, to keep fighting.

A kidney from a living donor would be such an amazing blessing that would enrich my life in so many ways. First and foremost, I pray I would be able to continue to serve the Lord and dedicate myself to serving the needs of others. Kindness and charity were always a significant part of my life before kidney failure took this away from me. My love for working with children is truly my heart. It fulfills what I feel God’s purpose is for me in this life. I want to continue my teaching career and help children with special needs. I would like to get back to my volunteer work with various charities such as my involvement with the Juvenile Diabetic Research Foundation (JRDF), helping the elderly in nursing homes, working with the homeless, cleaning houses, and my role as a Sunday School Teacher at church. I also want to become a Living Kidney Donor Advocate and Educator to bring awareness about kidney disease through various speaking engagements and fundraisers to inspire others to consider others to give The Gift of Life.

With your prayers, help and support in sharing my story with others to help me find a living kidney donor, I am hoping that I will be blessed with The Gift of Life and be able to serve the Lord and fulfill my destiny in life to serve the needs of others. This is an incredible gift and it is an incredible, yet difficult ask. I know what I am asking for and my prayer is if anyone reads this and is considering getting tested for me that they feel called to it. That they have prayed on it, talked to their family, and truly feel that this incredible act of kindness, that this gift that they are giving serves them as much as it serves me. This without a doubt is the greatest gift one human can give to another, the gift of life.

Share My Story & Consider Getting Tested As A Donor At No Cost To You... It Can Potentially Save Your Own Life

I appreciate your time in reading my website. Please SHARE MY WEBSITE TO HELP ME FIND A LIVING DONOR with your friends, co-workers, family, colleagues, religious affiliations, organizations, etc. via word-of-mouth, e-mail and social media to spread the word that I need a kidney transplant and to possibly consider getting tested yourself. Through everyone’s effort and kindness to help me, I am hopeful that I will find someone who is willing to give me THE GIFT OF LIFE.

Benefits Of Getting Tested As A Potential Donor

• Health Evaluation & Medical Testing is covered by MY INSURANCE…. NO COST TO YOU.
• Testing evaluates your own health & underlying unknown issues such as Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes & Autoimmune Diseases, etc.
• Getting tested is NOT A COMMITMENT to donate…. You can change your mind any time.
• If you are eligible to donate but not a direct match, you can still be my donor through a Paired Swap Exchange where incompatible donor and recipient pairs are matched with another duo.

Contact / Information

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. The evaluation process can potentially SAVE YOUR LIFE.  I'm grateful for your help and support.

Mary Mastrapasqua Fleaner 

Email address: marymastrapasqua@gmail.com

Potential Donor Registration

Click the website link below. Indicate you are registering for: Mary Fleaner.

Website: VanderbiltHealth.com/LivingKidneyDonor

• On right side of page, find Living Kidney Donor Box
• Click on Living donor interest form
• Watch video
• Complete Living Donor Intake Form
• Register for Mary Fleaner

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt Kidney Transplant Program