Kidney for Jillian (K4J)

Jillian's Story

Jillian is my younger cousin. She is 16 years old and needs a second kidney transplant.  This is her story.

At 5 years old, Jillian was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that destroyed all of her kidney function.  At age 7, our prayers for a kidney transplant were finally answered.  It was truly a miracle to see her come back to life in just a few short weeks.  Her cheeks turned from ashen gray to rosy red overnight.  Her energy level went thru the roof, and just six days after transplant she was home playing basketball outside with her Dad! Jillian's transplanted kidney gave her eight amazing years of health and we are forever grateful to her donor family for this incredible gift of life.

Now at age 16, due to medical complications, Jillian's transplanted kidney has failed. She is currently hooked up to a dialysis machine for 9 hours every night. While dialysis is a temporary life-saving treatment for people with kidney failure, the longer a person is on dialysis, the worse their overall health becomes.

This is obviously not the life any teenager would wish for, and we are once again desperate to find her a kidney.


What You Can Do To Help

PRIORITY #1!! – HELP US FIND A LIVING ORGAN DONOR

It will be extremely difficult to find a kidney donor because this is Jillian's second transplant. Only 4% of the donor population is a potential match. We must use our network and community to proactively find her a match. PLEASE spread the word!

A living donor kidney will give Jillian the best possible outcome for several reasons:

· Imperative for patients who are difficult to match

· Greatly reduces the time a patient has to endure dialysis and the negative health consequences

· Lasts longer than deceased donor kidneys (important for someone facing multiple transplants in their lifetime)

· Allows for specialized treatment prior to transplant (decreasing the risk of rejection)

Initial Requirements for Potential Donors:

·      Type O Blood

·      Male or Female between the ages of 21 to 35

·      General good health

Facts Every Potential Donor Needs to Know:

· Donors pay $0 in medical costs.  The transplant recipient's insurance covers all medical costs associated with testing and surgery.

· People can live normal, healthy lives with just one kidney!

· Approx. 6,000 living donations take place every year.

· 25% of living donations are from non-family members 


PRIORITY #2 - ASSISTANCE WITH JILLIAN'S CURRENT AND FUTURE MEDICAL EXPENSES

In addition to finding Jillian a living kidney donor, she also needs help with her current and future medical expenditures. She will never be "cured".  Being a transplant recipient requires on-going medical management, which includes exorbitant medical and prescription costs. Jillian's future is uncertain. As an adult she may not be able to work full-time and obtain necessary medical coverage, so we need to hope for the best and plan for the worst.

Thank You for Your Support

Although Jillian has a lot of cards stacked against her, she doesn’t see it that way. Everyday she is grateful to be alive and is beyond thankful for your support. For those of you that know Jillian personally, you know that she is a fighter, and doesn't see herself as a victim. She is one of the most gracious, strong, life-loving young women I have ever known. And on top of all of that, she’s a great athlete, student, and guitar player. Please help us get our girl back on the slopes, basketball court, and baseball field, living the carefree teenage life many of us took for granted. Thank you for reading her story.

If you are interested in being tested to see if you are a potential match, please contact [email redacted].