Marzette Hairston smiles, though her eyes speak of the exhaustion she feels. She breathes, fights, waits. Starts again. Again and again. Sometimes with longing, other times with resignation. She knows no other way. It has been her life since she was 18, when she lost a kidney to a rare tumor.

Some time later came lupus, an autoimmune disease that now accompanies her in silence. She has learned to live among needles, catheters, and medication. To hide pain behind a smile, to stay present for her family, and to support even the members of the foundation she helped to build.

Now she is 35, and her only kidney functions at just 12 percent. Doctors are preparing her for dialysis as she urgently searches for a living donor with blood type O. “It is so important to stress that a kidney donation is her lifeline,” said her cousin, Brionna Canada.

Her body grows tired, but her hope—and that of those around her—does not. Friends, relatives, and fellow advocates have come together to support the Kidney Donor Awareness Sneaker Ball, a gala that promises more than a night of music and entertainment. The initiative, organized by 2 Sisters 2 Different Kinds of Lupus, where Hairston serves as vice president, seeks to raise funds to cover her medical expenses, loss of income, and transplant-related costs, while also building awareness about organ donation and kidney health.

The gala will take place on Nov. 6 at the Cortlandt Colonial in Cortlandt Manor. Tickets are $100. The event will run from 6 to 10 p.m. and will feature dinner, music, a DJ, raffles every 30 minutes, and a sneaker contest. All within a festive atmosphere that, beyond the sparkle, has a clear purpose: to sustain a woman who has spent years sustaining others.

“She is been battling lupus her whole life,” Canada said. “To battle lupus and then to need another kidney, and to be in stage five failure… this is my cousin. She has two kids, so it is important she is stabilized and gets through this.”

Hairston is the mother of two daughters—one 19, now in her sophomore year of college, and another 14, in high school. Before her health became complicated, she worked in early childhood education and dedicated much of her time to 2 Sisters 2 Different Kinds of Lupus, an organization that provides support, information, and guidance to those diagnosed with the disease.

Her commitment has made her a reference in the community. She has led health campaigns, encouraged donations, accompanied newly diagnosed women, and spoken publicly about the emotional and financial challenges of living with a chronic health condition.

“Marzette is the kind of woman who never asks for help because she’s always the one giving it,” Canada said. “Even when she’s in pain, bent over and struggling, she still shows up to games so her daughters know they’re seen and supported.”

Her home, Canada adds, has become a refuge for neighborhood children whose parents are not present. “She offers them guidance and a sense of belonging.”

Through the Sneaker Ball, those who know Hairston hope to give back a little of what she has done for others. The event expects around 75 guests and the support of local businesses and sponsors, with contributions ranging from $200 to $1,000. Organizers will also receive in-kind donations, gift cards, and items for raffles and swag bags. Canada says each contribution “brings us closer to saving a life.”

As Hairston’s days fill with medical appointments and treatments, she continues to find strength in what cannot be seen—in her faith, in her community, and in the hope of that Nov. 6 night, when the lights of the ballroom and the sound of sneakers will mark the rhythm of a cause greater than herself.

“It truly takes a village. And we will keep building that village for Marzette, and for others battling chronic kidney disease,” her cousin said.