Bemidji Family Looking for Kidney Donor to Save Their Mother

A local Bemidji family is currently looking for a kidney donor to save their mother.

As of Tuesday, a suitable Type O donor has not been found for Tammy Collins, leading her family to take to the streets of downtown Bemidji with signs to raise awareness.

According to the family, Collins was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease four years ago and would need a transplant. In 2020, she was added to the national waiting list, and she began dialysis in May of this year.

“They kinda told us we got to speed up the process of finding a donor,” said Josh Collins, Tammy’s son. “She’s on the national transplant list, but that can take years, so that’s our last-ditch effort down here to find a living donor if anybody’s interested. [We’re] hoping somebody Type O comes forward to find a kidney.”

For more information, you can call the Fargo transplant line at 701-234-6715 or visit the family-run Facebook group Kidney for Tammy.