Monongahela woman waiting for kidney donor
Latest News
December 14, 2019

Monongahela woman waiting for kidney donor

By Mon Valley Independent

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

For the past decade, Amy Michalic has been hoping for a miracle.

Amy, 46, of Monongahela was born with kidney disease, but wasn’t diagnosed until 10 years ago.

She had to have surgery to remove cysts in February 2009. Before the second procedure, doctors discovered one of her kidneys had shrunk to the size of a raisin and the other was hyperextended.

She had total kidney reconstruction surgery using robotics at UPMC and is now a case study because her condition was so rare.   

When doctors discovered the problem, she was in Stage 4 kidney failure.

Ten years and multiple surgeries later, she was approved to receive a kidney transplant this year.

Now officially on the transplant list, she is desperately searching for a donor as she’s now in stage 5 kidney failure.

To read the rest of this story, please see a copy of Saturday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at https://e.monvalleyindependent.com.

Serra falls in Wpial Volleyball finals
Latest News, Main
November 6, 2026
Serra Catholic volleyball players huddle during Thursday’s WPIAL Class 1A title match against Eden Christian. See story on Page B1. Mike Darnay / For the Mon Valley Independent
Potential Corelle buyers seek LERTA tax break
Latest News, Main
By TAYLOR BROWN, Senior Reporter 
November 6, 2026
Representatives of Therm-ORock East made the request at a Charleroi council meeting. The proposed sale of a portion of the former Corelle Brands glass plant in Charleroi could depend on whether local ...
Elizabeth Twp. police chief is barred from EF school
Latest News, Main
By SARAH PELLIS spellis@yourmvi.com 
November 6, 2026
An internal letter regarding the case was shared on Facebook by school board member Travis Stoffer. Tensions are brewing between Elizabeth Township officials and the Elizabeth Forward School District ...
Public responds to restructuring plan
Latest News, Main
WEST MIFFLIN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
By SARAH PELLIS spellis@yourmvi.com 
November 6, 2026
A town hall to discuss the proposal was held on Election Day. West Mifflin Area residents raised concerns about the restructuring of the district’s schools during a town hall meeting this week. Accord...
Arrest made in 1985 stabbing death of 16-year-old girl
Around The Valley, Latest News, Main
By By RENATTA SIGNORINI TribLive 
November 6, 2026
Detectives took James Kruczek of West Mifflin into custody. JoDee Beal has spent the last 41 years wondering what happened to her sister and if her killer would ever get caught. She potentially got so...
Jury picked for trial of man charged in McKeesport police officer’s slaying
Around The Valley, Latest News, Main
By By PAULA REED WARD TribLive 
November 6, 2026
Proceedings will begin Monday for Johnathan Morris in the 2023 shooting death of Sean Sluganski. Sixteen jurors have been seated to hear the criminal case against the man accused of killing a McKeespo...