A Kansas pastor battling kidney failure is receiving an outpouring of support after a viral content creator shared his story, raising more than $40,000 in just two days and bringing renewed hope for the road ahead.
Garden City pastor Steven Mills, a two-time cancer survivor, has been left in renal failure after years of cancer treatments damaged his kidneys. He now depends on frequent dialysis while waiting for a living kidney donor.
Joshua Liljenquist, a content creator known for spreading kindness to his more than 11 million TikTok followers, met Mills after hearing about him from his father. Following their July 29 meeting, Liljenquist launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the pastor’s mounting medical and living expenses.
“Steven does dialysis multiple times a day, sometimes up to five times when he is not feeling well,” Liljenquist wrote on the fundraiser. “Because of his medical history, finding the right kidney match is more complicated. But a living donor could save his life.”
Liljenquist also highlighted the pastor’s unwavering faith despite his circumstances.
“Despite everything he is facing, Pastor Steve continues praying for others, sharing God’s Word, and serving the people around him,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “I gave him $500 to help, but I also want as many people as possible to know his situation.”
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Another content creator, Samuel Weidenhofer, joined the effort by sharing Mills’ story with his own audience, helping spread the call for prayer, financial support and a living kidney donor.
Within 48 hours, the GoFundMe had raised more than $40,000, providing much-needed relief as Mills continues treatment. While the search for a matching donor continues, the overwhelming response has given the pastor and his family fresh encouragement.
“To be able to just know that I’m gonna be able to be here to support my family — it would mean the world,” Mills said in the video.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
