Bay Area

A Labor of Love, Daughter Gifts Kidney to Her Father

After sharing the news of possibly going on dialysis with his wife and children, Rev. Chambers was moved and relieved at the show of support, love and sacrifice that his family, and his community, was willing to give in order to ensure his health. After well over a year of doctor’s appointments, testing and consultations, prayers and support, Rev. Chambers received a successful kidney transplant from his living donor, his daughter Candase Chambers on Friday, Aug. 26 at UCSF Medical Center.

Published

4 years ago

September 11, 2022

Oakland Post

Rev. Chambers hopes his family’s experience encourages other families to support each other and always work together. “Working together works,” he said.

When Rev. Ken Chambers, Sr. first received news from his doctor that he may need to go on dialysis, it felt like a knot in his stomach after having gone through his share of health challenges in the past. He had experienced congestive heart failure, kidney failure, and in 2014, he successfully fought cancer.

“It has been a long journey with my health declining and having fought cancer three different times in three different places of my body,” Rev. Chambers said. “Not only were my kidneys failing but I was slated for dialysis. Once I got confirmation that a transplant was possible, I had seven people offer to be my kidney donor. What a blessing that all of my kids were willing to be a donor but in lieu of all the efforts, my daughter Candase matched up and moved aggressively to go forward with the transplant. It’s all been a part of God’s plan.”

For a year before the surgery, Candase had gone through multiple tests and doctor assessments to make sure she was healthy enough to be a kidney donor and to confirm she was a match to give her father one of her kidneys — the greatest sacrifice one can make.

“Once I knew I was a match, there was nothing else to consider. If I could save my dad’s life, I knew that was a choice I was going to make,” said Candase. “Recovery has been uncomfortable and a process, but seeing my dad regain his strength and energy makes it all worth it. It feels nice to at least be able to give back to a parent when they have already given so much to me.”

The journey for them both was not free of its challenges and possible setbacks. The surgery had been scheduled and postponed twice before, once when Pastor Chambers tested positive for COVID-19 and another when his heart test raised some concerns for doctors to ensure he was healthy enough to undergo the intensive surgery.

Rev. Chambers said, “Praise God the surgery went forward, and the transplant has been a success. My kidney started working immediately and I will be preaching my first sermon on Sunday, Sept. 18, three weeks and two days after the surgery. God is so good! My wife, family and community organizations all have been so supportive, I’m forever grateful.”

Friends of the Chambers family started a donation fund to support them with additional medical costs and care throughout the recovery process.

Rev. Chambers hopes his family’s experience encourages other families to support each other and always work together. “Working together works,” he said.

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Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

Published

1 day ago

September 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Published

1 week ago

August 29, 2026

Post News Group

Dawna Williams, EOBA executive director speaks to attendees at the Black August Eperience on Aug. 21. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flynn of EOBA.

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.