NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — At just nine years old, Amir Jones loves football, soccer and solving math problems at school.
"I like to play football, soccer… I like football the best," Amir said with a smile. "My teachers are nice, and I like school because I like doing math."
But behind that bright personality is a lifelong medical battle.
Amir, a fourth grader at Cataract Elementary School in the Niagara Falls City School District, has been living with kidney disease since the day he was born. His mother, Tinasia Moore, says a blockage at birth caused damage to his kidneys, leading to stage four kidney failure.
"Amir, my middle child, he's been going through this kidney journey for all his life, for nine years, about to be 10 years," Moore said. "He’s pretty smart, outgoing, very shy, loving my baby."
WATCH: 'Keep us in your prayers': 9-year-old Niagara Falls student in need of kidney donor
Over the years, Amir has undergone four surgeries — two within the last two years alone. He also deals with high blood pressure, an enlarged bladder and takes multiple medications daily. The family regularly travels to Buffalo, Erie and Pittsburgh, where a team of specialists is preparing him for a kidney transplant.
Doctors say a living kidney donor with O-positive blood type is urgently needed.
Kidney transplants are among the most successful organ transplants. A living donor kidney can last 15 to 20 years or longer, and donors can go on to live full, healthy lives with just one kidney. For children like Amir, a transplant can mean more energy, improved growth and a better quality of life.
Balancing appointments, treatments and life at home hasn’t been easy. Moore, a mother of four, recently stepped down to part-time work to focus on her children and Amir’s care.
"It was a big battle for me to step down from my job in order to balance my family out and just be with them a little more than what I used to," she said. "Just keep us in your prayers."
At school, Amir’s teachers say his strength and kindness stand out.
"Amir is the kindest and sweetest little boy you'll meet," said Sunnie Ventry, his fourth-grade language arts teacher. "He has so many friends. He really is a hard worker when he's in class."
Now, the Cataract Elementary community is rallying around the Jones family. The school is supporting them through a 50/50 raffle and other fundraising efforts.
A GoFundMe page will soon be created to help cover transportation and other expenses as the family continues traveling for care in Pittsburgh.
You can find additional information on living kidney donation here.
