Dear Kidney Foundation of Utah,
My name is Evangeline W. I dialyze at Dixie Dialysis Center. I wanted to say thank you so very much for the down payment on a car. It has been a huge relief to my family and I can now go back and forth to dialysis without putting the rest of my family’s jobs in jeopardy. Being able to get to doctors appointments in my own car has significantly lightened the burden for me and my family. God bless you, Sincerely, Evangeline
P.S. Keep up the wonderful work!

Dear National Kidney Foundation, Just wanted to drop you a note telling you how grateful we are for this program that helped us with a large utility bill this summer.  On the 1st of July, I lost my wallet with $2,000 in cash from a paycheck that I had just cashed. I think it fell out of my car when I got out to go to the grocery store, and when I came back to look for it, it was gone! Then over labor day weekend, our car was stolen. It was found 3 days later with a punctured tire, and towed to an impound yard. We had to wait until our next pay day to get it out of impound! Even though it was not our fault the car was stolen, they charged us $960 to get the car out of impound. So it is with deeply grateful hearts, we say “thank you” for being the one piece of good news and good luck we have had in a long time. We are so grateful to the Kidney Foundation for their help in getting our utility bill paid so we could buy our meds and keep current on our insurance premiums. God bless you for all you do for kidney patients! Sincerely, V. & B. McMarin, Sandy, UT

Dear Kidney Founation, I am so very grateful for your support. The gas card you provided so I could get to dialysis this month was literally a “life-saver”.  My husband just lost his job and we literally did not have enough money for the gas it would take to drive me to dialysis.  We appreciate your help in our desperate time of need.  In moment’s like this, we know God blesses our lives through other people reaching out.  God Bless you, thank you.  Alicia G.

Well, a crane actually…..but it could happen.  If you want to watch them do it, come to HeeHaw Farms in Pleasant Grove this Saturday, October 23rd at 1:00 p.m. (exit 275 for North Bound I-15 Traffic/ exit 278 for South Bound I-15 traffic).  The 1996 Pontiac 6000 being smashed by pumkins (hey, isn’t that the name of a rock band?) will be donated to the Kidney Kars program!  Come have some Halloween fun ! See you there.

Thank you so much to C. Gunderson of South Jordan for the gorgeous black 2000 Porsche Boxter.  It had a pricey blown transmission, but was in overall good shape.  With a little help from our friends at IAA (Insurance Auto Auctions) the Kidney Foundation of Utah was still able to sell it for more than $6,000 bucks at a Las Vegas Auto Auction.  That money will go straight into Utah medical research, and into the hands of kidney patients who are in desperate financial times because of the cost of their medical treatments, medications, and transportation to and from dialysis.  That was one gorgeous car– and a most generous Kidney Kars donation!  We are so grateful Ms. Gunderson for your humanitarian!

We cannot thank you enough for helping us make our car payment so me and my son Beau can get to dialysis. We both dialyze at the same clinic and live together to cut living and transportation costs. This April, I filed my income taxes, claiming Beau as a dependent. The E-file was kicked back saying my son’s Social Security number was tied to another tax return which claimed working income, a spouse, and a dependent! Someone had stolen his social security! They froze his Medicare and other disability benefits. We are still fighting to clarify his identity–in the meantime, we still have to pay our same bills–including the car payment for the car that gets us both to dialysis. Bless you for your help in our great time of need. It is so frustrating to be at the mercy of the ‘powers that be’. If we were healthy, could work, and not have to rely on anyone for our care it would be different. But the kindness and mercy you have shown us will not soon be forgotten by us. God Bless you. Sincerely, Pat M., Sandy, UT

Thank you for the gas card! Gasoline to get to and from dialysis is a huge financial burden. Since I went into Kidney Failure, I’ve been told by my doctors to stop working (I had a very physically demanding job). Since then, my family finances have suffered greatly. Every penny we have now goes to my medical treatments, medications, and transportation.  Just before I went into renal failure I had gotten a second job in order to support my youngest son who is serving an LDS religious mission. My inability to work has crippled our whole family.  Everyday, I live with guilt for the stress my wife feels in having to take care of me while also working to support us.  The assistance to help pay for gas was a true relief.  Thank you Kidney Foundation for all that you do. I hope when I have my transplant and can work again, to make a donation  to you to help other patients in need.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/BYU-Utah-coaches-lend-support-to-National-Kidney/fuULt-nsBkywjt-Whnf9GQ.cspx

We received your letter dated January 22, 2011 letting us know that the Kidney Foundation of Utah had helped us with our water bill.  I don’t know who will read this letter, but I want everyone to know that the National Kidney Foundation of Utah & Idah was a Godsend. My husband is in kidney failure and cannot work because he’s got to go to dialysis 5 days a week.  He’s also diabetic and has high blood pressure–and all the terrible health problems that go along with those two horrible diseases.  I am so glad your foundation has people with feelings and who understand how hard it is to make ends meet when there is chronic illness at home. I had to quit my job as a CNA to care for my husband.  I cannot express adequately how much it means to know there are people at the Kidney Foundation I can turn to for emotional and also some financial support.  Thank you so much for your help, you have made our lives a little easier.  We are forever beholden to you.  Sincerely, Rocky & Candy T.

I am writing this letter on behalf of me and my husband.  He was recently diagnosed with Acute Renal Kidney Failure.  He has been going to dialysis since August and has been out of work since then.  We have applied for disability but have been struggling to make ends meet.  We talked to his social worker and explained our hardship, and it was she who recommended we apply for help to the Kidney Foundation.  We were relieved to find out we could receive some assistance to help toward our house payment.  We would like to thank the Kidney Foundation of Utah for helping us in our time of need.  It was a time of great desperation and we cannot thank you enough.  Sincerely,  Christi & LeRoy C.