Penguins fan uses sign at game to ask for kidney match

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh Penguins fan in need of a kidney took her cry for help to Saturday night's game.

The Lancaster County woman made a sign that she took to PPG Paints Arena, and it got the attention of the team's social media accounts, getting thousands of retweets and reactions.

Kelly Sowatsky held her sign reading, "I need a kidney," with her phone number below it.

“It kind of just exploded and it started being shared left and right,” Sowatsky said.

She told Channel 11 she has just 10 percent kidney function after contracting sepsis a few years ago.

But the response from her sign provides new hope.

The Pens fan said she's received hundreds of messages since the sign went viral, including several from people willing to be donors.

"Many of them have said, 'What do I need to do?' It’s a feeling I can’t really describe," she said.

Instead of calling the number on her sign, Sowatsky asks that potential donors contact Johns Hopkins and provide her name. You can also direct questions to 410-614-9345.

Cox Media Group