Lauren Shields has spent most of her life helping other desperate patients receive an organ donation.
Now the 25-year-old — who has a New York state law named after her — is in the same powerless position of waiting and hoping to receive the gift of life.
The Rockland County native is seeking her third organ donation in 16 years — a new kidney — as she struggles to maintain a semblance of normalcy and sense of hope.
“I take pride in being such a good patient. I take my medication every day, I never miss a dose. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I do all the right things, I go to all my doctors’ appointments,” Shields told The Post last week.
“That was the worst part, I couldn’t do anything different so I was completely devastated and upset, but as time has moved, I realized this is the only way forward that I need a kidney, there’s no getting around that,” she added.
In 2009, at age 8, her body was first hit with an infection that hit her heart, requiring doctors to seek a new heart for her. Her condition was so dire that she was placed in a medically induced coma for 15 days before she could get a transplant.
Shields was so thankful she had a second chance at life, she began crisscrossing the Lower Hudson Valley, attending events encouraging organ donations.
She spoke at naturalization ceremonies — and still does — urging new citizens to sign up to be organ donors.
When she was 12, she ran into then-state Sen. David Carlucci and asked about helping pass legislation that could attract more organ donors.
He told her he’d be in touch, but she thought, “He’s never gonna call me, I’m just a kid.”
Instead, Shields successfully lobbied state lawmakers to approve a bill that requires residents getting and renewing their license to answer whether or not they are willing to be an organ donor.
Residents can either check “yes” or need to acknowledge they are skipping the question with the hope it will “plant a seed” in people’s minds, she said.
“Lauren’s Law” was officially signed by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Oct. 4, 2012.
“That was such a highlight of my life to be involved in that process,” said Shields, who works at LiveOnNY, an advocacy organization that raises awareness for organ donations.
But the high points of Shields’ life – including graduating high school, college and getting to be a bridesmaid at her brother’s wedding — have also been marred with setbacks.
Shields needed a new kidney in 2020, which is a result of the first organ transplant she got a decade ago. It’s a common problem for heart recipients. Forced to undergo dialysis, she called it “emotionally and physically” draining and “no way to live a life.”
Her mother was eventually cleared to donate a kidney to her and the transplant was successful.
But now an injury to that organ, discovered in February, is forcing to her to seek help again as she desperately hopes she can avoid the dialysis machine.
She’s already lost most of her energy and gets out of breath after walking up a flight of stairs, Shields said. Her kidney is functioning at about 14%.
“I was completely heartbroken, it was probably the worst news I ever got because I just felt so devastated that I didn’t get more time with my mom’s kidney,” she said.
Shields is holding out hope for a living donor as she also sits on the organ wait list — though that could take three to five years.
“I really like to be very independent and this was such a vulnerable position to really ask for someone to do this, to go through with surgery like this, give a part of themselves,” she said.
“To help someone else, to possibly help a stranger. I know it’s not a small ask. Gosh, it is really hard for me to put this in other people’s hands and hope that someone will step up.”
For more information on Shields’ quest for a new kidney, people can visit her National Kidney Registry page.
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