Donate to Help Tony Saunders (Kidney Transplant)-

KIDNEY TRANSPLANT APPROVED!!!

Hello All! This is Leann Saunders with a follow-up to my Original Post on 7/8/22. Over the Holiday Season, we got a Great Present! After several appointments for my attempt to be able to donate a kidney to my husband, Tony Saunders, we have finally received Approval!

We never would have thought before that I may be a match this time around. As I stated previously, when Tony had his first transplant back in 2001, I was not found to be a match. However, Tony’s antibodies have changed over the last 20 years, since the first kidney transplant. It turns out that after Emory has run multiple tests, I have finally been qualified as a donor match! Tony has an appointment with the Transplant Nephrology Team on February 14, 2023, to finalize his Approval, and provided he has no further testing to complete, we can get a Surgery Date scheduled after this.

We would like to thank everyone who has donated to this Fund, to the people who have given him well wishes, and to the people who reached out in attempts to get tested as well for him. Also, a big Thank You to his sister, Charlene Stokes, and his mother, Barbara Sutton, for taking on the tasks of spreading the word through Facebook and handing out Flyers. All of your thoughts and prayers have Paid Off!

Tony can finally move forward with his life, and get off that damn dialysis machine!!! Thankfully though, it has been keeping him alive over the last 2 years, but he sure won't miss it, and the time it takes out of his life each week. Last week was his 300+ dialysis treatment. It is hard to see the one you love, suffering by living on a machine for so long, not knowing when or if it will ever end. Now there is light at the end of the tunnel!

I cannot express how Thankful I am to be able to do this for Tony. I will be glad to see him resume a “normal life” again. Dialysis drains what little energy he does have, and it has its dangers as well. I have seen him suffer over the last 2 years, and look forward to seeing the light come back into his eyes, and the energy he used to have, return once again. I never imagined when we meet 27 years ago, that one day I would be able to give him a kidney and help save his life. Now he will never be able to get rid of me, lol

We would also like to say, Tony has met several other patients during his dialysis treatments. Many of which are very lovely people, in great need of a kidney as well. We would like to encourage and promote the Living Donor Kidney Programs throughout the country. You only need one kidney to live successfully, and there are so many people living on dialysis and dying every day, waiting, hoping, and praying that somewhere, someone, will be willing to Donate. Please take the time to consider Organ Donation to save someone’s life.

Now that we are into a New Year, Insurance Deductibles have started over, and out-of-pocket expenses have begun yet again. If you are at all able, please consider donating to this fund, to help assist with upcoming and expenses already incurred over the last 4 years of his kidney failure.

Also, any Prayers you can raise up for him and myself for our upcoming surgery will be Greatly Appreciated! Tony has been through many surgeries during his lifetime, and I consider him a Pro at this by now, but this will be my first. We will take all the Prayers and Well Wishes we can get!!!