Scott MacIntyre, a contestant featured on the eighth season of American Idol (aka “The Kris Allen season”) is facing life-threatening end-stage kidney disease, The Hollywood Reporter announced last week. Scott, best known for being the only blind contestant to ever be featured on ‘American Idol,’ is only 29 years old and has already had one life-saving kidney transplant, which was done before he competed on ‘Idol.’

“Without that life-saving gift, I would never have been on ‘American Idol,’ married my wife or been able to share my life story with so many people around the world,” Scott told THR. “Unfortunately, transplanted kidneys can’t last forever, and now I’m facing the same life-threatening illness once again.”

Scott’s doctors have told him he needs to have another kidney transplant within the next six months. While he is currently on the national waiting list for a deceased kidney, the average wait time is between three to five years for one of those, according to THR. Because Scott needs a transplant much sooner than that, it would require him to get one from a living donor.

Scott has continued to tour in the wake of his health crisis, and just released his new album, “Lighthouse.” The closing song on the album, entitled “I Am Hope,” has become an anthem for organ donation and will be used to promote the upcoming National Kidney Foundation Walks, which are set to take place in New York City, Los Angeles, Boston and Miami in the coming months. Scott will be performing at the walks, provided his health maintains.

If you are interested in getting more information about helping Scott, or just organ donation in general,  call Vanderbilt Hospital at (615) 936-0695, ext. 3. THR has stressed that “the person selected to be the donor will not incur any costs, as MacIntyre’s insurance and Vanderbilt Hospital will assume all financial responsibility.”

(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)