MONROE, Ohio — A fifth-grade teacher at Monroe Local Schools is leaning on his community for support as he searches for a living kidney donor.
Scott Decker is battling Stage 5 Polycystic Kidney Disease. He said 19 years ago, he received a kidney transplant from his father, but it's now functioning at about 13%.
"When you go through it the first time, you think this is going to last me forever," Decker said. "Over the last year, I've started to feel the fact that my kidneys aren't functioning all the way up."
According to the Christ Hospital Health Network, the benefit of receiving a kidney from a living donor is that the kidney could last 15 to 20 years longer.
Decker has taught fifth grade at Monroe Elementary School for over two decades.
"(Students) deserve me to make a difference in what they do each day, that's the best thing ever, and the community, with the support that they do, everyone there is just one big happy family," Decker said.
To help connect Decker with a potential match, parents Ashley Glock and Jessica Baker launched "Team Decker," a grassroots effort by creating flyers, shirts, and key chains to raise awareness.
"He shows up when he has nothing to give and then goes home and has those struggles. I don't know what they would do if they lost him as a teacher. I don't know what Monroe would do," Glock said.
His wife, Stephanie Decker, says she couldn't imagine the support going this far. The couple, known as the "Double Decker'd" to their students, met at Monroe Elementary.
"When we met with his transplant team, I signed up to be what's called the 'donor champion' for him. My job is to advocate for him and to put his story out there. We want him to be around for another 20 years, healthy and living the life we know is possible," Stephanie Decker said.
WATCH: Monroe community seeks a kidney donor for beloved teacher
Scott Decker's family is holding onto hope as the search for a donor continues.
His oldest daughter, Mikayla Davenport, said he's unlike anyone else.
"That's the kind of person he is. He brings everybody together. He makes you feel loved," Davenport said.
His youngest daughter, Abbey Decker, is a high school freshman and a student at Butler Tech. She told us she's thankful that her school allowed her to spread the word about what the community is doing for her dad.
Scott Decker said he remains optimistic about finding a donor and grateful for the community rallying behind him.
"I believe that God has a plan. How blessed can I be to have all the support that I have?" Scott Decker said. "The support I have from my family, the staff, and students. It goes to show he has a hand on everything."
