Statesboro local Brandon Allen Smith has been on a long, uncertain, and often overwhelming medical journey—but in April 2025, his family celebrated a major victory. Smith was officially accepted into the kidney transplant program at Emory University Hospital, a monumental step toward their future.
Allen's family describes him as "A loving husband and dad to two littles in need of an A+ or O+ kidney" on their Facebook page, Kidney Transplant Updates for Brandon Allen Smith:
Allen (also known to many as Brandon) is a devoted husband to his wife, Chloe. He has two children, Isaac and Naomi, who always believe "daddy can fix it" and he dedicates nearly all of his free time to being an involved and loving parent.
Allen is a friend to nearly all he meets, and the kind of person that always shows up for others. Allen had his first kidney surgery to correct his ureters going into his bladder on January 13, 1998 at 3 years old. After continued monitoring & treatment, he was officially diagnosed with CRI (Chronic Renal Insufficiency - Kidney Disease) in 2004.
He began dialysis in March of 2014 and received a kidney transplant in January of 2015 with his mother, Becky, as the donor.
Unfortunately, Allen was diagnosed with kidney failure again in May of 2023 due to rejection. He is the son of Bo and Becky Smith and a brother to Blaze Smith (Hiltonia, GA). He is the grandson of Horris and Sheron Allen (Sardis, GA), late Myrtle Kemp (Sylvania, GA) and late William Smith Sr. (Hiltonia, GA).
After enduring numerous medical procedures, including a recent revision to his dialysis port, Smith's acceptance into Emory's kidney transplant program marks the clearing of one of the biggest hurdles in the transplant process. According to his family, he is now listed and active on the transplant registry—ready for a potential match at any moment.
"Grateful truly doesn't feel like a strong enough word," his family shared in a recent Facebook update. “We are finally over one large hurdle in this long process.”
Smith, who has A+ blood type, is considered an excellent candidate for kidney transplant based on his recent bloodwork. He is now searching for a living donor and the community is encouraged to consider getting tested. Interested donors can find more information and register anonymously through Emory’s Living Donor Program here: https://tinyurl.com/EmoryLivingDonor.
Testing is confidential, and those being screened can opt out of the process at any point. All costs related to donation are covered, and additional support is available through organizations like the Georgia Transplant Foundation, the National Kidney Foundation, and the National Living Donor Assistance Program to offset related expenses such as gas, groceries, and time away from work.
The Smith family emphasizes that while they deeply appreciate every gesture of support, they ask that only those seriously considering donation reach out directly about it.
“These conversations offer us glimmers of hope for an end to this journey,” they wrote. “If you are unable to donate, we understand completely. Any reason you have is valid, and your love and support mean the world to us.”
In addition to seeking a donor, Smith's family has created a health fund to assist with the out-of-pocket expenses that come with the transplant process, including travel, food, and potential lost income. Donations can be made via Venmo and CashApp using QR codes provided on Smith's Facebook page. Other forms of support, including Zelle or mailed checks, are available upon request.
- Kidney Donation: https://tinyurl.com/EmoryLivingDonor
- CashApp: https://cash.app/$allensmithhealthfund
- Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/AllenSmithHealthFund
- “Go Time” Packing Amazon List: https://tinyurl.com/Transplant-Packing-List
With Smith now just a phone call away from a life-changing transplant—potentially from a cadaver donor with only six hours’ notice—the family is staying prepared and hopeful.
“We believe there are a lot of good things waiting for us on the other side of this,” they wrote. “Please continue to keep us in your prayers and reflections, and share his story. The more people who see it, the more likely we are to find the right match for him.”
Community members can support Allen and his family in a variety of ways, including helping with their "Go Time" essentials--when they get that phone call, they want to be prepared with everything they need:
To follow his journey or to offer support, visit his Facebook page: Kidney Transplant Updates for Brandon Allen Smith
