10K mile road trip highlights 5-year-old Tampa boy’s desperate need for new kidney

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A man who’s on a cross country journey, visiting dozens of cities, made a stop at Tampa General Hospital Monday to raise awareness for life-saving kidney donations for kids.

5-year-old Jahsai Buncome is a patient at the Muma Children’s Hospital at Tampa General Hospital who desperately needs a kidney.

“He functions about 11 and 14% with both kidneys,” said Jahsai’s mother, Jasana Dunn.

Like hundreds of other children across the country, he waits.

“We have been waiting to find that perfect match for Jahsai and we hope that somebody will donate. We’re just trying to make sure that he is living his life potential,” said Dunn.

“Unfortunately, the number of living donors nationwide has been decreasing in the last year or two,” said Dr. Alfonso Campos with the Muma Children’s Hospital at Tampa General Hospital.

The need for donors has fueled Brian Martindale’s mission. Martindale is the founder and Executive Director of the organization Kidneys For Kids and is on a lifesaving mission.

This summer he’s traveling 10,000 miles, to 23 cities, to highlight kids like Jahsai.

“Your kidney can save Jahsai’s life and you can live a long fulfilling life like I do with one kidney,” said Martindale, who more than a decade ago donated his own kidney to save a young girls life.

“The risk of donation is very small,” said Dr. Campos.

Still, nationwide, Dr. Campos said 1,800 kids are in need of a life-saving kidney transplant.

“We educate adults to the fact that you can donate your full-size kidney to a child as young as two, and most adults can’t fathom that seeing a small child, thinking their full-size kidney can’t help that child,’ said Martindale.

Martindale said he is making it his life’s mission to find 100 healthy matches for 100 kids.

“This is amazing that that there are foundations out there that who are willing to go above and beyond for the children who aren’t necessarily heard, who don’t have voices,” said Dunn.

Martindale’s next road trip stop is Jacksonville on Tuesday, and then South Carolina.

To find out if you’re a match, visit Tampa General Hospital’s Living Donor Program website here .

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