Jay McIntosh-kidney transplant support

HALLELUJAH!!!

We have an angel within our family, and her name is Gail!

Gail volunteered to be Jay's living kidney donor and has gone through all of the testing and was found to be a better match than Norm (Jay's Dad).

We have a transplant surgery date - next Wednesday, November 2nd at University Hospital in London! Jay will be in the hospital on the transplant unit for approximately one week, but is required to stay in London for up to a month. We are trying to find a suitable accommodation - Air BnB, hotel, etc. We have contacted Ronald McDonald House in London, but they assist patients only up to age 18. This is going to be expensive! Accommodation, food, gas, parking etc - All of this while we are trying to keep their expenses at home up to date too.

We are asking for any donations possible to help us help Jay, Erika and Lennon, and we are so grateful for all donations received so far.

Thanks to everyone! Please keep Jay and our family in your prayers.

Update August 19, 2022

FANTASTIC NEWS!!

It has been a while since we've updated everyone and lots has been happening!

Jay and Erika went to London for his transplant testing and everything went very well. He was officially placed on the transplant list! His donor is a match and we are waiting for further details from University Hospital in London.

Thank you - from the bottom of our hearts - to everyone who has donated and sent messages of love and support. It has been overwhelming!

Jay has dialysis in Sudbury every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and is unable to work. Erika is on maternity leave.

All 4 parents are retired but have been helping them out financially since Jay became disabled almost a year ago. It has been a strain on our retirement savings.

Because of your generosity, we have been able to get them caught up on many of their living expenses including rent, hydro, vehicles and insurance, gas (for his many trips to dialysis), food and too many more to name.

Our goal remains to raise at least $20,000 for them, and to now focus on Jay having his transplant, which will require him to stay in London close to the hospital for up to a month. We are very hopeful that this will happen in the next couple of months, but we don't know yet what this timeline will be.

Please continue to share this post with hopes that donations will continue to be made to help us reach our goal!

Norm and Barb McIntosh

Paul and Lorraine Koistinen

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Update July 3, 2022

Thank you everyone SO MUCH for your generous donations and your kind words of encouragement. I can tell you that Jay and Erika are stunned and overwhelmed with all of the support shown to them. They have been sending the "Thank You" notes to everyone, but us parents want to echo that and sayTHANK YOU too!

GREAT NEWS! Jay got word that his "transplant assessment" appointments have been booked for just over 2 weeks from now in London! The testing, etc. will be over 2 or 3 days and the following week he will get the results! We are praying that everything will go well, and that he will then be put on the transplant list. He has blood type O, which means that he could donate to any other blood type, but he can only RECEIVE a kidney from someone else who has blood type O. We are hoping that one of our possible donors will match and that the transplant can happen sooner than later! Stay tuned for more good news!

In late September 2021, our 32-year-old son Jay was diagnosed with extreme kidney failure due to an autoimmune disorder which attacked both kidneys. He spent a long time in the hospital while the doctors attempted everything possible to restore some kidney function. All attempts failed, and by late October, Jay had to begin dialysis treatments 3 times per week and continue many additional medications. His doctors advised him that he will require a kidney transplant.

Because of the debilitating effects of the disease and the dialysis schedule, it is impossible for Jay to work. Thankfully, the long-standing McIntosh family's love of music has helped Jay through some of the more challenging days as he plays his guitar.

Jay and his wife Erika have welcomed their first child, Lennon, and Erika is currently on maternity leave. Jay’s EI sickness benefits have long since run out, and he receives a minimal disability payment.

As his (retired) parents, along with Erika's parents Paul and Lorraine Koistinen, we have assisted them for some time with rent, utilities, food, gas, vehicle repairs and so on, but even with this assistance, they cannot make ends meet.

Jay is awaiting a transplant at the University Hospital in London, Ontario and must travel there for

testing prior to his final approval. When the transplant is completed, he must remain in London for up to a month while his medical team keeps a close watch that the transplant has been successful and that his body does not reject the donor's kidney. They will need accommodation close to the hospital until the transplant team is confident that he can return home to continue recovering. Unfortunately, there is little to no funding available to help a transplant recipient with travel and lodging expenses.

 

His father, Norm, is being tested to be a possible donor as well as a close family friend.

 

Please help our son, our daughter-in-law and our precious grandson! Any amount – large or small, will help with the financial strain they are experiencing while Jay fights to get back to providing for his young family.