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Portrait of a joyful young girl in golden light

A Family Support & Advocacy Movement

No family should have to navigate this journey alone.

Maiya's Heart Project stands in the gap for children and families impacted by organ donation, transplantation, life-threatening illness, and loss — connecting them with support, advocacy, resources, and hope.

Get SupportDonateHow We HelpOne Yes Campaign →

Honoring Maiya's legacy through family support & organ donation awareness.

4
Pillars of family care
104,000+
Awaiting transplant
8
Lives one donor saves
1
Family at a time
Her Story
Sharnell Lydia holding a framed photo of her daughter Maiya

Maiya's Story

A daughter. A wait. A legacy in motion.

Maiya Cunningham was born with a heart that loved bigger than her body could hold. Bright, brave, and deeply faithful, she moved through years of testing, health studies, and physical exams with a grace that quietly changed every room she entered.

During the process of preparing for a heart transplant, she contracted pneumonia. What followed was eight months of fighting on and off the transplant list as her condition shifted, until the illness took that option entirely off the table.

Before that one yes could reach her, she was gone.

Her mother, Sharnell Lydia, made a promise in that grief: no family in our communities would feel this alone. No story would go unheard.

Maiya's Heart Project is the continuation of her light. Built from heartbreak. Grown with love. Delivered freely to every family still waiting.

Today, Maiya's Heart Project is in its founding phase — building awareness, sharing stories, creating partnerships with organizations like Southwest Transplant Alliance and faith communities, and laying the foundation for future family support programs.

This is where that story begins. Building the Legacy →

A Moment of Faith

Fred Hammond sings “No Weapon” with Maiya in the hospital.

A moment of unshakable faith — gospel recording artist Fred Hammond visits Maiya and asks what song she’d like to hear.

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Watch Maiya's StorySay Yes — Register Today

Interview with Sharnell Lydia and her mother Vivian Lydia-Jackson, filmed by Laterras R. Whitfield on behalf of Southwest Transplant Alliance.

Legacy
Representation
Healing
Advocacy
A Black multigenerational family embracing at sunset

Changing the Face of Organ Donation

Every community deserves the chance to say yes to life.

For decades, the donation conversation has skipped over the people most impacted by the wait. We are changing that — through trusted voices, faith spaces, and stories that look like home.

·

Education

Conversations grounded in our histories, not statistics.

·

Trust

Built through proximity — neighbor to neighbor, pew to pew.

·

Representation

Stories that reflect the families actually waiting.

·

Healing

Advocacy that holds grief with the same tenderness as hope.

How We Help

Standing in the gap — four ways we walk with families.

Maiya's Heart Project exists to ensure that children and families impacted by organ donation, transplantation, life-threatening illness, and loss do not have to navigate their journey alone.

01

Family Navigation & Advocacy

Walking with families through the maze of hospital systems, transplant prep, and hospice decisions — so no one navigates alone.

Family Navigator · Parent Mentor · Hospital Resource Navigation · Hospice Navigation

Learn more 02

Practical Family Support

Easing the day-to-day weight of serious illness — housing, transportation, caregiver logistics, and emergency assistance.

Housing Assistance · Transportation · Emergency Family Assistance · Caregiver Logistics

Learn more 03

Grief, Bereavement & Legacy

Sitting with families in the long after — honoring loved ones and carrying their story forward together.

Grace Check-In · Bereavement Resources · Memorial & Legacy Projects · Anniversary Outreach

Learn more 04

Organ Donation & Transplant Awareness

Continuing Maiya's legacy through education, minority donor advocacy, and our signature One Yes campaign.

Donor Education · Community Events · Minority Donor Advocacy · Storytelling Campaigns

Learn more
Reach out for support Explore all programs

Real Stories. Real Families. Real Impact.

The faces behind every yes.

Recipients, donor families, caregivers, and advocates — gathered in their own words. This is the heart of the movement.

Raquel Givens Jones

How can I not give, when I was given life twice? Receiving the kidney from my mother gave me vitality, strength I did not have before — and brought back abilities I never thought I'd have access to again.

Raquel Givens Jones

Kidney Recipient · Blogger & Life Coach

Raquel Givens Jones knows what it feels like to disappear. Diagnosed with lupus in 2005, she lived for years with kidney issues that, against the odds, held steady — until a single hospital stay changed everything. A recommended biopsy turned into an untreated infection, and within two weeks her kidney function was gone. Dialysis three times a week followed, and with it a grief she had not been prepared for: anger at her body, disappointment in herself for ignoring her inner voice, and a depression that made her feel like she was fading into a fog.

In October 2015, her mother gave her a kidney. Raquel says she knew the moment she woke up that she was new. "I knew that my life had been shined on, and I was going to be able to take my life experiences to the highest potentials." The vitality she had lost came rushing back, and with it, abilities she never thought she would access again.

She had resisted transplant for a long time. A lifelong believer in natural healing with a long list of medication allergies, she did not want to be bound to a regimen of drugs. What changed was her understanding of purpose. "Everything that happened to me, happened for me, and my highest good," she says. Along the way she has met people who would, in her words, "give gold for a kidney" — friends walking the same road of lupus and kidney failure she once walked. She prays for them. She wishes she had a kidney to give.

Today, as a blogger and life coach, Raquel uses her platform to remind recipients that the healing journey does not end on transplant day — if anything, it becomes more imperative to stay in alignment with health, with love, and with one's own inner voice. She wants people to see a soul filled with peace when they see her, and to know that organ donation is one of the most powerful invitations a human being can extend to another.

"How can I not give," she asks, "when I was given life twice?"

Tiffani Martin

As a living donor, you can be that extended lifeline for someone — and actually witness the power of your giving with your own eyes. You can live a very fulfilling life after a transplant if you become a great steward of the gift.

Tiffani Martin

Double Organ Transplant Recipient · CEO, Jancynco

Transplant was never an abstract concept in Tiffani Martin's family. Renal failure had touched several of her loved ones, and kidney transplant had become a familiar word at the dinner table long before it became her own story. What began as awareness eventually grew into hope — once the family understood the full process and the life-changing benefits that organ donation could deliver.

In 2016, Tiffani became a recipient of a double organ transplant.

She is honest about the fear she carried into it. Watching family members endure long waits on dialysis, and absorbing the heavy stories that move through media coverage of transplant, left her deeply apprehensive. It was only once they were pursuing the process head-on that she discovered the depth of education, support, and community available to patients and families willing to step into it.

Her message to anyone considering the journey is rooted in stewardship. Receiving an organ is not a finish line; it is the beginning of a new kind of discipline. Lifestyle, consistent communication with physicians, and care for mental and emotional well-being all become non-negotiable. "You have to be a great steward of the gift you have received," she says, "but you can live a very fulfilling life if you do."

Tiffani is especially passionate about living donation. One kidney, freely given, can extend a healthy life to someone who is running out of time — and the donor can keep living a full, healthy life of their own. Paired exchange programs in many healthcare systems mean that even if you are not a match for your loved one, your gift can still set off a chain that reaches them. "As a living donor, you can be that extended lifeline for someone," she says, "and actually witness the power of your giving with your own eyes."

As CEO of Jancynco, Tiffani channels that same spirit into her leadership and advocacy: urging others to register, to learn, and to become catalysts for change in communities where the donation conversation has too often gone unheard.

Every story shifts a generation. Yours could be the one a family is waiting to hear.

Share Your Story →

Our Signature Awareness Campaign

One Yes Can Save Eight Lives.

Maiya waited for a heart. The campaign that carries her name continues her legacy by educating communities, confronting myths, and closing the representation gap in organ donation — especially for Black and Brown families.

  • · Maiya's donor story
  • · Myths and facts
  • · Minority donor advocacy
  • · Faith-rooted education
  • · Registration drives
  • · Community awareness events
Explore the Campaign Say Yes — Register Today
104,000+
People waiting
17
Lost each day
8
Lives one donor can save
1
Yes changes everything

Awareness is one of four pillars of Maiya's Heart Project — alongside family navigation, practical support, and grief & legacy.

Annual Awareness Calendar

A year shaped by remembrance, advocacy, and community.

From Maiya's Legacy to a Movement of Hope. Q1 awareness, Q2 engagement & fundraising, Q3 service & healing, Q4 advocacy & sustainability — the rhythm of our year.

  1. Q1 · 01 / February

    American Heart Month

    Honor children and families impacted by congenital heart disease, pediatric cardiac conditions, transplantation, and lifelong cardiac care — including Maiya's own heart journey.

    • Heart Warrior Stories

      Family-centered storytelling featuring children living with congenital heart disease and the caregivers walking with them.

    • Family Education & Advocacy

      Plain-language explainers, advocacy resources, and community engagement on pediatric cardiac care.

    Notify me about this season
  2. Q2 · 02 / April

    National Donate Life Month

    Drive donor registration, encourage family conversations, and honor donors and recipients through visible community engagement.

    • Blue & Green Awareness Campaign

      Social engagement, awareness apparel, community photos, and public lighting moments.

    • Hope in Motion 5K & Family Walk — Signature Event

      Signature

      5K run/walk, family walk, survivor recognition, memorial tribute area, community resource fair, and sponsor engagement. Every step creates hope.

    Notify me about the 5K
  3. Q2 · 03 / May

    Caregiver Strength Campaign

    Recognize and support parents, guardians, grandparents, and caregivers who advocate for children facing complex medical challenges.

    • Caregiver Recognition Stories

      Behind every warrior is a caregiver who never gives up — first-person reflections and wellness resources.

    Notify me about this season
  4. Q2 · 04 / June

    Summer of Hope Campaign

    Build the runway for the July School Supply Giveaway through collection drives, volunteer recruitment, sponsorship outreach, and community partnerships.

    • School Supply Drives

      Community, school, faith, and workplace collection drives feeding directly into the July giveaway.

    • Sponsor & Volunteer Recruitment

      Onboarding sponsors, partners, and volunteers for the summer's biggest service moment.

    Notify me about this season
  5. Q3 · 05 / July

    Premier community service event

    Maiya's Legacy Celebration & School Supply Giveaway

    Honor Maiya's life through service, generosity, and community. Families gather for a community picnic while children receive backpacks and school supplies to start the year ready.

    • Maiya's Legacy Celebration — Signature Event

      Signature

      Community picnic, school supply giveaway, backpack distribution, children's activities, family resource fair, volunteer recognition, and legacy storytelling. Maiya's legacy lives on through every child we serve.

    Notify me about the celebration
  6. Q3 · 06 / August

    August 31 — Anniversary of Maiya's Passing

    National Minority Donor Awareness Month

    Honor donor heroes, transplant recipients, heart warriors, and families navigating medical journeys while raising awareness of organ, eye, and tissue donation in multicultural communities.

    • Candlelight Walk for Hope & Healing — Signature Event

      Signature

      Candlelight procession, tribute wall, donor hero recognition, recipient stories, family remembrance ceremony, music and reflection, and community healing activities. Love continues beyond loss. Hope continues through giving.

    Notify me about the walk
  7. Q4 · 07 / October

    Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Month

    Educate, advocate, and increase awareness of congenital heart disease and the lifelong challenges faced by heart warriors and their families.

    • Hearts of Hope Gala — Premier Fundraiser

      Signature

      Mission impact presentation, family testimonials, sponsor recognition, awards and honors, silent auction, and fund-a-need campaign. From Maiya's Legacy to a Movement of Hope.

    Notify me about the Gala
  8. Q4 · 08 / November

    National Family Caregivers Month

    Honor parents, grandparents, siblings, and caregivers who provide physical, emotional, financial, and logistical support during serious illness, transplantation, hospice care, and grief.

    • Caregiver Appreciation & Wellness

      Recognition, encouragement, and wellness resources for the family members standing in the gap day after day.

    • Parent Mentor Stories

      First-person reflections from caregivers who've walked the transplant, illness, and loss journey.

    Notify me about this season
  9. Q4 · 09 / December

    Season of Hope Giving Campaign

    Year-end fundraising and impact campaign highlighting organizational accomplishments, family stories, donor recognition, and future goals. Together, we create hope for families who need it most.

    • Year-in-Review Impact

      Storytelling series and impact report recapping the families served and milestones reached.

    • Children's Hospice Care Packages

      Comfort items, blankets, journals, and encouragement cards delivered to pediatric hospice patients and families.

    Notify me about this season Donate care packages

Specific dates for each annual activation are announced as they're confirmed. Sign up to be notified the moment registration opens for any season.

Get Involved

There is a place for you in this story.

01

Say Yes — Register Today

Register as an organ donor at DonateLife.net — one yes can save eight lives.

Register now 02

Volunteer

Lend your hands to gatherings, walks, and outreach in your city.

Sign up 03

Partner With Us

Bring our work to your church, school, hospital, or organization.

Start a conversation 04

Share Your Story

Recipient, donor family, caregiver — your voice is the movement.

Tell us 05

Sponsor an Initiative

Underwrite a season, a walk, or a storytelling night as we lay the foundation.

Explore sponsorships 06

Donate

Every gift fuels the storytelling, the outreach, and the work ahead.

Give now
Join the Legacy List

One subscription — events, awareness campaigns, stories, and updates.

Press & Media

In the press, in the conversation.

Press releases, interviews, and the voices carrying Maiya's Heart Project into the wider conversation about organ donation.

Recent Coverage

New interviews and press releases are on the way. To request press materials, an interview, or to feature Maiya's Heart Project, reach out anytime.

press@maiyasheartproject.com →

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