Beloved Baltimore youth football coach in need of a kidney donor. Here's how to help.

Ronald "Coach Roe" Stevenson, a father of two, a family man, and a football-loving coach, is in dire need of a kidney.

Coach Roe, who has been a youth coach in Baltimore County for more than a decade, was diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney disease and needs a kidney donor.

The coach has had to scale back his time on the football field because his condition has worsened.

A life-changing diagnosis

In 2022, Coach Roe learned he had Stage 4 kidney disease. 

"I was able to bring it back down to Stage 3 kidney disease," Coach Roe said. "I was 320 pounds, and I was able to get down to 260, and it helped for a while, but kidney disease is something you can't really reverse."

The coach, who has been a mentor to countless children, is raising awareness of kidney disease and is an advocate for kidney donors.

For more than 10 years, Coach Roe has been a coach with the Greater Pikesville Wildcats youth football teams, guiding hundreds of children, including his now 16-year-old son.

"You know you have the chance to change the trajectory of a kid's life, and I take a lot of pride in that," said Coach Roe.

Coaching football and mentoring children has not only kept him active but also involved him in the community.

"And he is always out there with my grandson with football and active with a bunch of the football friends and coaches and everything," said Louvenia Richardson, Coach Roe's mother.

Coach Roe told WJZ it was heartbreaking when he had to explain his condition to his team.

"I was in and out with coaching this year, and I explained it to the team and everything, and they understood, but it kind of made them sad," Coach Roe said.

Importance of being a donor 

More than 100,000 people are on the National Organ Transplant waiting list. Nearly 86% of patients waiting on the donation list need a kidney, however, it takes time to find a match.

This is why Coach Roe wants to bring more awareness about all organ donations and kidney disease.  

"I would want this story to help anyone because it is thousands of people who suffer from kidney disease," Coach Roe said. 

Coach Roe's family says finding a kidney donor would give him a second chance at life and help him get back to doing what he loves. 

"The team moms and everything they say, 'Make sure you are drinking water, make sure you sit down,' and they get a chance to yell at me," Coach Roe said. "But, you know, we make the best of it."

"I do know prayer changes things, and it will get you through," Richardson said. 

How can I help? 

If you are interested in learning how to help or think you may be a match for Coach Roe, you can visit the University of Maryland Medical Center's Donor Referral Portal and fill out the survey.

The University of Maryland performs living transplants for kidneys and livers. Doctors can help direct donations to someone you know, someone you don't or pair donations when you don't match your donor, but someone else may.

National Donate Life Month

Observed in April each year, National Donate Life Month helps raise awareness about donation, encourages Americans to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors, and to honor those who have saved lives through the gift of donation

You can learn more by visiting this website.