BIG SPRING, TX — Summer is wrapping up and while many 18-year-olds are preparing to move away for college, Abigail Rueda, of Coahoma, is doing the same while also preparing to become a kidney donor for her father, TJ Rueda.
In early 2018, TJ was diagnosed with vasculitis, which describes a group of rare conditions that damage blood vessels by causing inflammation. This can affect any size and type of blood vessel anywhere in the body. Later that year, he was diagnosed with a rare brain-eating amoeba infection. TJ was able to recover from the infection but vasculitis returned in 2023. At just 36-years-old, he was required to begin peritoneal dialysis, which is a method used to clean the blood when the kidneys fail. Unfortunately, peritoneal dialysis is no longer sufficient, and TJ will soon transition to home hemodialysis, which will use a machine to filter the blood.
Abigail has always wanted to be a donor for her dad, ever since she was 10-years-old and he was diagnosed with kidney issues.
“He’s done so much for everyone, not only my family, but everyone. So, it was kind of like, if I could go and help him, I would and I feel like that’s my way of helping him,” said Abigail on donating her kidney.
She went on to say that she’s extremely happy to have the opportunity to help.
Abigail is the same blood type as her father but there’s still a chance that she may not be a match. If that happens, her mother Gina Rueda told KBest News that Abigail can do a cross match.
“We can do what’s called a cross match, where she donates her kidney to somebody else and they find a kidney that is what he would need. So, he would still get a kidney through her. It just wouldn’t be her kidney anymore, but we’re hoping that when she is worked up she is a match and she is able to. That’s just really what her heart wants,” said Gina.
Because Abigail is only 18, she’ll be required to do counseling before donating her kidney because it’s a big decision. This month she’ll also be moving to San Antonio to attend the University of Texas – San Antonio and she’ll be studying to become a nurse.
Gina also advised that other friends have also volunteered to get worked up to see if they’re a potential donor candidate, as well. Currently, TJ is not on a donor list because there are still multiple tests that have to be completed to get him ready for that step. TJ is scheduled to receive training for home hemodialysis by October 2025, but they hope he’ll have received a new kidney before then.
This weekend, a Co-Ed Ragball Tournament will be held in Coahoma at the Coahoma Little League Fields to raise money to help the Rueda Family cover expenses. The tournament begins at 8 PM on Aug. 1st and will continue overnight through August 2nd. The registration fee for a team of 10 is $250 and an additional $25 per additional team member.
On-site registration will be available from 5-7:30 PM on August 1st, but it can also be done in advance by calling Tonya Baker at 432-213-6234 or Olivia Cerna at 432-213-0253.
(Courtesy photos. First 2 photos – Abigail Rueda with her father TJ before the diagnosis; last photo is after diagnosis in 2025.)
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