Help Chris Seaga

I never imagined that when I took this picture of my brother, Chris, last Christmas, I would be using it almost a year later to try and save his life. I was visiting him in Jamaica and was shocked to see him in this emaciated and weakened state. I snapped this picture when he wasn’t looking so that I could send it to our mom, who was abroad, so that she could see his severe deterioration. We knew that Chris was in end-stage kidney failure but had been told that people could live on dialysis treatment. The only thing was, Chris wasn’t living; he was existing… his spirit was waning, and his body was failing.

Several months before I saw him, I had been asking questions about how to get Chris a kidney transplant, but I only came across dead ends. It wasn’t until I posted a story on my Facebook page last November that I finally started to get some answers. I proudly reminisced about my big brother, the superstar athlete, but by the end of my story, I felt sad when I thought about how much his life had changed because of kidney disease. I figured old friends might want to know what he’s up to now, so I mentioned his health crisis, and out of sheer desperation, I asked if anyone knew how to get a transplant. Shortly after I posted the story, I started receiving messages advising us on what to do. We started speaking with a hospital that had a transplant program for patients from the Caribbean, and finally, Chris had a chance! We started preparing for the road ahead.

It’s been six months, and we’ve had a few hiccups, but Chris has used the delays to strengthen his body and mind so that he can recover successfully. He said, “Ana, I can’t think about the negatives; it’s just like when I used to compete in sports; I have to stay focused on crossing the finish line.” Chris’ kidney transplant is imminent, and although we can fund some of the costs, we must crowdsource the remaining funds. Our faith is strong, and we remind ourselves that ‘one-one-cocoa full basket.’ We’ve come this far, and we are so close now. Please help us get Chris across the finish line with your donation and prayers. God bless. Anabella Seaga-Mian

Total needed $80,000