A 19-year-old US student has been placed on the kidney transplant waiting list after being diagnosed with stage 5 kidney failure just weeks before his high school graduation.
Justin Lepri first noticed something was wrong in March 2026 when he began experiencing unusual fatigue during a family vacation.
His condition later worsened, leaving him too short of breath to get up for school. His mother, Madelin Lepri, took him to urgent care, where doctors discovered a mass on his kidney and admitted him to hospital.
After nine days of tests, Justin was diagnosed with an NPHP1 genetic mutation, which can cause nephronophthisis and progressive kidney failure.
His parents, Madelin and David, said they were shocked by the diagnosis and wanted to donate a kidney to their son but were ruled out because of the genetic condition.
“We would give our kidney and our heartbeat if we could,” they said. Justin’s sister, Jasmine, is now being evaluated as a possible donor.
He has been placed on the National Kidney Transplant Waiting List, but his parents fear he may not have enough time to wait for a suitable organ.
“We don’t have that kind of time with Justin,” they said. Despite his illness, Justin remained determined to graduate. He was released from hospital days before his graduation and went on to walk across the stage at Nease High School in Nocatee, Florida.
His family has also launched a fundraiser to help support his treatment and transplant journey, raising more than $32,000.
