STEP UP FOR STEVE: Finding a kidney donor
Donation protected
Instagram: @stepupforsteve
Website: www.stepupforsteve.com
“Lex, I have kidney disease”. A sentence I never expected to hear. At the time I didn’t understand the severity of the situation. At the time, I thought we'd have time.
My name is Alexa Carini and I have created this Go Fund Me Page to save my friend's life. My overall goal is to find a matching kidney donor. However, I also strive to educate, raise awareness, raise medical funds and gain others, like me, to support my very deserving friend, Steve.
I first met my friend Steven in 2018. I had just started working at a company in finance, of which I had no prior background. My position called for me to share time as a Customer Service Representative, answering phone calls and assisting the needs of our clientele. Talking to people was no problem for me, but knowing how to help them was a different story.
The call center was made-up of roughly 20 employees. For your imagery, five rows of five cubicles. In the first seat of the second row, sat a gentleman who wore a particularly warm smile. Do you know how some people just make you feel comfortable? "Good morning, dear", he'd say with a smile. His greeting, though short, always made me feel special. More than that, he was my saving grace in the workplace. He knew the answers to all my questions, trained me for phone calls, helped me in every pickle imaginable, and quickly became a dear friend - in and out of work.
We all know someone who is a bright light. Someone who wears a smile even when they are breaking inside; someone who will always do their best for you when you are in a tight spot; someone you can count on for a laugh, for a smile, even when you feel it's impossible; a reliable person - a good person; someone with a heart of gold; someone who isn't just any someone.
That's Steve. Giving. Vibrant. Nurturing. Selfless. Comforting. Funny. Helpful. Caring.
I want to be the person for Steve that I know he'd be for me.
Thinking of donating? What comes next:
1) You will be evaluated by doctors to determine if you are a good candidate to donate.
2) The transplant center will provide a social worker for you to confide in confidentially, ask questions to, meet with and feel supported by.
3) Everything is completely covered by the patient's health insurance, therefore as a donor, you are not financially liable for any medical cost.
4) The procedure is minimally invasive and leaves one to four small incision marks.
5) The surgery is between 2-4 hours long.
6) You can expect to be on your feet 2 days post-surgery.
Interested in being Steve's donor? If you are interested in becoming a living kidney donor for Steve, you may get further information by completing the questionnaire that initiates the process at SBMCLivingDonor.org or you may contact a team member directly at [email redacted]. The questionnaire will prompt you to input the below information when asking if you would like to donate on anyone's behalf:
Steven Rodriguez
Elizabeth, NJ
DOB 5-18-88
How can you help? Keep talking! We can use as much help as possible to be an advocate for Steve, and help find a matching donor. Word of mouth, sharing on social media, participating in our events, representing merchandise and last but certainly not least, keeping our campaign in your prayers. Donations are very helpful to cover Steve's medical bills, as well as the funds to market Step Up for Steve.
If you would like to volunteer your time, talents, or share creative ideas to #stepupforsteve, please email [email redacted] or call (908) 230-
3999. We ask you to please use the hashtag when sharing Steve's story and as the “subject” in your emails.
How will the funds be used? The funds raised through this Go Fund Me Account will contribute to the cost of Steve's medical care, as well as, the marketing to find a matching donor. In this process, there are several ways we are spreading the word for Steve such as hosting events, distributing merchandise, hiring marketing professionals, etc. We can sure use your help to raise enough funds to campaign Steve's story as much as possible!
More about Steve: Steven is a 34-year-old stud living in central jersey. He is family and friend oriented, as clearly stated in the above blurb. Steven loves scary movies, especially Scream. He even has the infamous Scream mask tattooed on his arm! He is bilingual, speaking English and Spanish. Steve's favorite color is purple. He's a Vikings football fan. He likes to spend his free time painting or with his friends & family. Steve loves the beach but especially loves boating. He hosts an annual boating trip every summer!
What is the job of a kidney?
Our kidneys act as a filtration system for our body, removing waste products through urine. The kidneys also balance the body's fluids, release hormones that regulate blood pressure, produce vitamin D and control the production of red blood cells.
What is kidney disease?
Kidney disease is when your kidneys are not filtering your body's toxins the way they should be, therefore spilling waste into your blood.
FAQs
- There are currently 121,678 people waiting for lifesaving organ transplants in the U.S. Of these, 100,791 await kidney transplants. (as of 1/11/16)
- The median wait time for an individual’s first kidney transplant is 3.6 years and can vary depending on health, compatibility and availability of organs.
- In 2014, 17,107 kidney transplants took place in the US. Of these, 11,570 came from deceased donors and 5,537 came from living donors.
- On average: Over 3,000 new patients are added to the kidney waiting list each month
- 13 people die each day while waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant.
- Every 14 minutes someone is added to the kidney transplant list.
- In 2014, 4,761 patients died while waiting for a kidney transplant. Another, 3,668 people became too sick to receive a kidney transplant.
Organizer and beneficiary
Alexa Carini
Organizer
Jamesburg, NJ
Steven Rodriguez
Beneficiary