After six years on the waitlist for a kidney transplant, Fields was moved up on the list due to the new change as to how African American kidney function was evaluated. Fields said her joy was tempered by the reality of the situation.

"I was just shocked really part of me of course was grateful they were fixing it, but still it was very annoying to know that this exists," Fields said.

A key kidney function blood test, eGFR, previously factored in race in its results, putting African American in a healthier status and putting them further down the waitlist. A task force with the American Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation determined that method was flawed.

Race has now been taken out of the equation for the test. As a result, more than 14,000 African American patients nationwide were moved up on the transplant list. There are 1,200 African American patients in Illinois waiting for a kidney transplant.