Mom Donates Kidney to Daughter-Then They Graduate Nursing School Together
Nursing isn’t just a career, it’s a calling that often comes with a story. And for mother-daughter duo Ambrealle Brown and Nija Butler, that story is one of resilience, love, and transformation. What began as a health crisis evolved into a shared purpose: to become nurses and care for others the way they had cared for each other.
@blk_queen_ MOMMY WE DID IT!!🩺 #motherdaughterduo #nursesoftiktok# #momanddaughter #graduation #2025goals #registerednurse ♬ original sound - 👑Blk_Queen👑
From Patient to Purpose
In 2016, Ambrealle Brown was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease that turned her world upside down. At just 21 years old, she was balancing dialysis three days a week while trying to keep up with life and school. “I couldn't move. I was constantly drained,” she told the Associated Press in a 2024 interview. Like many dialysis patients, Ambrealle faced not only physical fatigue but the emotional toll of losing her independence and momentum.
Meanwhile, her mother, Nija Butler, was quietly preparing for a life-changing act of love. She had herself tested-and discovered she was a perfect donor match. Nija didn’t hesitate. In 2021, she gave her daughter a second chance at life through a kidney transplant. “She gave me life twice,” Ambrealle said. And that second chance sparked a dream they would go on to pursue together according to Newsday.
From Transplant to Cap and Gown
Once Ambrealle’s health began to stabilize, she and her mom enrolled together at the Baton Rouge General School of Nursing. They studied side by side, bringing their lived experience into every lecture and clinical rotation. In April 2025, they walked across the graduation stage together just in time for Mother’s Day. Their journey from patient and caregiver to nurses-in-training became a powerful example to their classmates and instructors alike.
Faculty members often noted how their experience enriched class discussions and added depth to patient care conversations. These are the kinds of lessons you can’t learn in a textbook-compassion, resilience, and the lived reality of what it means to be on the receiving end of care.
@blk_queen_ “Who says superheroes don’t wear caps? This mama and her 3 sidekicks graduating” #foryoupage #MomAndHerGrads #2025goals #graduation #blackexcellence #familygoals ♬ original sound - 👑Blk_Queen👑
The Value of Lived Experience in Nursing
Personal health experiences often shape our approach to nursing in a meaningful way. According to the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), nurses who have personal or family ties to chronic kidney disease (CKD) can offer invaluable insights into what patients truly need-physically and emotionally. With 37 million adults in the U.S. affected by CKD-many of them undiagnosed, it’s critical to have nurses who bring not just knowledge, but understanding .
Ambrealle and Nija’s story reflects what so many of us in nursing have come to realize: our toughest moments often become our greatest motivators. Whether it’s walking a loved one through a health battle or facing one ourselves, those experiences deepen our empathy and strengthen our resolve.
From Dialysis Chairs to Hospital Floors
For new nurses like Ambrealle and Nija, entering the profession after such a personal journey brings a unique perspective. “After experiencing what it's like to be a patient for so long, I know I can bring something special to nursing,” Ambrealle said during their graduation ceremony. And she’s absolutely right. That firsthand experience allows them to connect with patients on a deeper level, offering comfort in a way that only someone who’s “been there” truly can.
Their story is a reminder of why many of us chose this path in the first place-to make meaning out of hardship, to support others during their most vulnerable moments, and to turn our own healing into hope for someone else.
Final Thoughts
From dialysis to diplomas, Ambrealle and Nija’s journey is one of grit, gratitude, and purpose. For nurses, whether you’re new to the field or decades in it’s a powerful example of how personal experiences can shape and elevate your nursing practice. It’s also a reminder that behind every nurse is a story worth telling.
So next time you’re feeling burnt out, take a moment to reconnect with your why. For Ambrealle and Nija, their “why” was literally built on survival, love, and the dream of giving back. That’s the kind of motivation that can carry you through the hardest shifts and keep you grounded in the heart of what nursing is all about.
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