Kidneys for Kids National Spokesperson to Become Living Kidney Donor; Journey to Be Filmed for "The Darker The Night"

"I was told I couldn't donate to my son because of my weight. Someone else said yes and saved him. Now I've fought my way back to be that yes for someone else — a 'no' is not the end of your story."

"Kidneys for Kids spokesperson Margaret Manolis is undergoing evaluation to become a living kidney donor; her journey will be filmed for The Darker The Night."

NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, October 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- New York City N.Y. — October 6, 2026 — Kidneys for Kids announced today that its national spokesperson, Margaret "Rita" Manolis, is undergoing evaluation to become a living kidney donor — and her journey will be documented on film as part of the organization's documentary and television series, The Darker The Night.
Manolis has passed her initial donor screening tests and is continuing through the evaluation process.
Her path to this moment was not straightforward. When her son Elias needed a kidney, Manolis tried to be his donor — but she was rejected because of her weight at his former hospital, before the family came to Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, where Elias received a living-donor kidney in March 2026 from living kidney donor Tim Fitzpatrick. That story was filmed by Kidneys for Kids at NYU Hassenfeld Children's Hospital. And that story was featured in April on Good Morning America-https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/teen-kidney-disease-finds-donor-living-minutes-131890166
Since then, Manolis has lost the weight she needed to lose to qualify as a donor.
Her planned donation would go to an anonymous recipient — someone she may never meet. Through the National Kidney Registry's voucher program, her donation would also secure a voucher for Elias, protecting him with priority for a future kidney transplant should he ever need one.

Margaret Manolis- National Spokesperson-Kidneys for Kids
"When my son needed a kidney, all I wanted was to save him. Being told I couldn't donate because of my weight broke something inside of me — I felt like I had failed him when he needed me most. But someone else said yes and gave my son a second chance at life. Now, after fighting my way back to this moment, I want to be that yes for someone else — and show people that sometimes a 'no' is not the end of your story."

Brian Martindale, Founder, Kidneys for Kids-Living Kidney Donor
"Rita tried to give her son a kidney and was told no. She fought her way back, and now she's going to be someone else's yes. That's what this mission is — ordinary people saying yes until every child gets a second chance." We are honored to call Margaret our National Spokesperson.

The Darker The Night, premiering March 11, 2027, follows children waiting for kidney transplants and the living donors who answer. Manolis's donor journey will be recorded for the film and the accompanying 30-episode television series. Her son Elias's story; filmed at NYU in March was the first for the film and Tv series. Margaret is leading the campaign to fund the post production and distribution of the film currently, as she believes it will motivate many more living kidney donors.

About Kidneys for Kids
Kidneys for Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Bay City, Michigan, dedicated to helping children waiting for kidney transplants find living donors. The organization operates the Good Karma Entertainment Network, its own Roku TV channel, alongside social media and its website, to share children's stories until a living donor says yes. Kidneys for Kids is a partner of the National Kidney Registry and a voting member of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Learn more at kidneysforkids.org.
Media contact:
Brian Martindale, Founder
Kidneys for Kids
(989) 493-6111
bmartindale@kidneysforkids.org
Margaret Manolis and Brian Martindale are available for interviews.

Brian Martindale
Kidneys for Kids
+1 989-493-6111
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