Donate Life

Nineteen-year-old Macey Jackson is struggling with two major problems in her life. The first problem is finding her self worth. As an aspiring painter, the future doesn’t look too bright, especially since she suffers from a tremendous case of self-doubt.  Macey’s second problem resides at home… Macey’s mother, Carrie, a sleeping pill addict, left her father a few years back for a trashy, selfish drunk named Brian Lynn. Carrie and Brian both push Macey to give up on her art dreams, causing her self-doubt to rise.  As Macey emotionally spirals to the ground, she steals Carrie’s sleeping pills just to help her get a decent night of sleep. On this latest night, while waiting for the sleeping pill to take effect, a commercial on kidney donation changes Macey’s life forever... While Macey struggles with her own problems, eighteen-year-old Stephen Jordan has an entirely different problem. Stephen suffered from lupus nephritis, which has caused his kidneys to fail. As Stephen’s condition appears to get worse, his parents, Corey and Laura, desperately try to find him a kidney.  Corey and Laura print out flyers on kidney donation and they place the flyers up all over town, including at Rick’s Grocery Mart, where Macey works. Macey sees the flyer and takes it with her. A newfound sense of purpose enters her. Now, Stephen’s parents aren’t the only people trying to get him a kidney. Stephen’s primary doctor, Doctor Wilson, is also doing his best to find him a kidney. He’s been Stephen’s doctor for the past six years and knows time is running out. Stephen slips into a coma at the same time that Macey calls the Donate Life organization. She learns all about living donation and quickly heads into the hospital to speak with Doctor Wilson. Macey feels a high that’s she’s never felt before. For once, she feels special, like her life has meaning.  This would all come crashing down when she arrives home to find a drunk and irate Brian abusing Carrie. Macey tries to stop Brian but is stopped dead in her tracks as Carrie chooses Brian over her.  Brian and Carrie kick Macey out of the house, causing the most severe breakdown of Macey’s life. As she packs her stuff, Macey steals an entire bottle of sleeping pills. While entering a state of hopelessness, Macey does the unthinkable and takes the entire bottle of sleeping pills… The police inform Carrie and Brian about Macey’s passing. Carrie breaks down, realizing her mistakes as a mother. Brian doesn’t seem too fazed as he continues to only care about himself. Carrie comes to her senses and leaves Brian. She now must face the fact her daughter is gone forever.  Stephen’s condition worsens as Macey’s body enters the hospital. Since she was registered as a donor, Doctor Wilson checks and hopes that Macey’s kidneys are a match for Stephen… they aren’t.  At the hospital, after identifying Macey’s body, Carrie discovers for the first time that her daughter wanted to donate a kidney. While overhearing that Macey’s kidney wasn’t a match for Stephen, Carrie asks Doctor Wilson if she could test to see if her kidneys are a match.  Doctor Wilson agrees and they put Carrie through all the standard testing. It turns out that Carrie is a perfect match for Stephen. She decides to live her daughter's dream and donate her kidney. Carrie awakes to learn her surgery was a success. She also learns that Macey’s dream did get fulfilled. Her organs were donated to many people, saving their lives. Carrie’s kidney worked to perfection in Stephen. Yet, he didn’t awaken from his coma.  Corey and Laura ask if their son will ever wake up. Doctor Wilson tells them to pray. Corey and Laura hold each other and pray. As Doctor Wilson turns to leave, Stephen’s voice enters his ears. “Ugh… Doctor Wilson. Where are you going?” Doctor Wilson turns around to see Stephen sitting up. Corey and Laura hug him as Doctor Wilson smiles while revealing a kidney donation scar on his stomach.  The end.