LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A server at Louisville's Martini Italian Bistro is in need of a kidney transplant.
Shannon Grabowski has been a waitress at the restaurant for four years.
She was diagnosed with lupus at 17. The disease causes the immune system to attack its own tissue and organs.
"It's been a lot. I am on dialysis, I do that three times a week for about four hours," said the server. "It definitely takes up a lot of my time during the week and drains me most of the time."
Grabowski lays in hospital bed after being placed on a ventilator in 2021.
She says her condition started out mild and then began causing breathing problems. By 2019, her lungs were only working at 45%. By 2020, she was hospitalized for over a month and placed on a ventilator.
The 25-year-old said her latest medical issues came in last year, when she learned she was in kidney failure and needed a transplant.
"I've went through all my testing and everything is done and it's ready so whenever I get a call and somebody's ready to give me a kidney, I'm ready to go," said Grabowski.
The 25-year-old Louisville server receives dialysis three times per week.
Grabowski is about $20,000 in debt and expects costs to keep rising as lupus is incurable. So far, her GoFundMe has only raised about $3,000 toward her goal.
As she waits for the life-changing phone call, the Italian restaurant is helping the server raise money to fund her medical costs.
By the host stand, bright green bracelets are for sale for $5. A sign explaining the purpose of the bracelets and information about Grabowski's medical journey is also nearby the entrance.
Grabowski was diagnosed with lupus at 17. The disease currently doesn't have a cure and causes the immune system to attack its own tissue and organs.
"I know that we reach out through Apron and other resources to try to help out as much as we can, but that is the bare minimum of something we can do to help," said the Martini Italian Bistro Assistant General Manager David Nold.
Nold has worked with Grabowski for two years and says the four words he'd use to describe her are "strong, dependable, feisty and reliable."
"She's a leader. If I give her a task, it's done. I don't even have to think twice about it," said Nold. "Every new person that walks in the door finds her as kind of a beacon."
Shannon celebrates after graduating from Morehead State University.
Grabowski says she's grateful for the support of her coworkers during her challenging journey.
"Everybody here is great. They look out for me. A lot of people can actually tell when I'm not feeling well and they're like you need to take care of yourself," she said.
Despite her medical difficulties, the server recently graduated from Morehead State University with a 4.0 GPA.
Grabowski says she is looking forward to regaining control of her life so that she can return to school for her doctorate.
"I know having Kidney failure is slowing me down. Just honestly living a normal life where I don't have to get up three times a week to get to the hospital to get treatment," said Grabowski.
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