A local hairstylist and her family are searching for a living kidney donor after cancer survival left her ineligible for a transplant from the deceased donor list.

Tammy Green co-owns Mane Street Hair Designers in Athens with her longtime friend, Nina Pendlum. According to Pendlum’s daughter, Pendlum has spent most of her life with only one kidney, and a successful battle against endometrial lung cancer 11 years ago left her with limited function.

“Mom’s (kidney) function is constantly monitored to manage her situation,” said Amanda McMeans, Pendlum’s daughter. “Recent testing has indicated a sharp decline, and the physical implications have taken a toll. We need to locate a donor match very soon for the best possible outcome.”

Green said she was on Facebook when she saw an article shared to The Mark White Show’s Facebook page about an officer who donated one of his kidneys to a coworker.

“I commented and said (the donation) was awesome, it’s what my precious friend and coworker has been praying for,” said Green, who has worked with Pendlum since they first met in 1988.

Green said White messaged her and within half an hour, had a post online requesting potential living donors to contact the University of Alabama at Birmingham and see if they could be a match. Due to her cancer history and age, Green said Pendlum was ineligible for a kidney from someone on the deceased donor list, but doctors at UAB had agreed to perform the procedure if Pendlum could find a living donor.

“She’s been through a lot, and she still works and pushes and tries,” Green said of Pendlum. “She’s just one of the best, most Christian people you’ll ever meet in your life. … That’s why we’re trying to so hard (to find her a donor). The only hope she has is someone seeing all of this and applying.”

McMeans echoed the sentiment, describing Pendlum as “more than precious.”

“She endures physical hardships and has continued to work as much as possible, as she not only enjoys her work but strives to take advantage of every opportunity God has given her to be active,” she said.

Those interested in being a donor for Pendlum can determine their eligibility at https://uabmedicine.org/donateakidney or by calling 1-888-822-7892. The form is free to fill out. Pendlum’s birthday is Jan. 3, 1950.