I am a kidney transplant patient.  When I had the transplant I was married, and not worried about paying for the drugs to keep my kidney from failing.  Now I am divorced, and on my own.  I had a brain aneurism within days after transplant.  I have also had several strokes.  I have been sewing in my home for a design firm to help support myself.  I struggle mentally and physically to do this.  I do not want to become a burden to the state.  I have worked hard to make I can support myself.  But I struggle to pay for my meds.  If it happens again, if I my new kidney fails– I won’t go back to dialysis or get another transplant.  It was hard the first time, but I am grateful for the time I have had and the ability to take care of myself with a little help from people like the Kidney Foundation.  God Bless you, thank you for your support.  Marie W.   

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=49b_1287891279

Enormous Pumpkins, falling from the sky! It could happen….The award winning 1196 lb. pumpkin, grown by Matt McConkie of the
Utah Giant Pumpkin Grower’s association will by hoisting his prize pumpkin by crane above a 1996 Pontiac 6000 at the HeeHaw Farms in Pleasant Grove on Saturday, October 23rd, at 1:00 p.m.  The car getting smashed by pumpkins (hey! isn’t that the name of a rock band?) will be later donated to the Kidney Kars program.  So come, get smashed with us at HeeHaw Farms located West
of I-15 at the Pleasant Grove exit (275 for north bound I-15 traffic and 278 for south bound I-15 traffic).  Be there, or be
square. For more information vist KSL.com about the event : http://www.ksl.com/?nid=359&sid=12662126

Dear Mrs. Vetterli:  I am writing this note on behalf of my husband Mike A. who passed away July 1, 2010.  He was a dialysis patient for the past 4 years.  Each time we were benefactors of the Kidney Foundation we would write a note acknowledging the members and donors who made those funds available.  This will be our last note of gratitude.  Before Mike died, he missed a dialysis treatment because we did not have the money for gas.  His social worker, Scott, gave him a $20.00 bill from his own pocket and asked Mike to promise he would never miss a dialysis treatment again.  Mike and I were lucky to receive a gas card from the Kidney Foundation which enabled us to keep that promise.  Mike’s social worker and the Kidney Foundation were important to us.  Scott spoke recently at Mike’ s funeral.  We were so fortunate to have advocates like Scott, and the Kidney Foundation looking out for us.  On behalf of all kidney patients who benefit from your patient services, we thank you one last and final time.  Sincerely,  Helen A.

Dear Kidney Foundation:  You recently gifted us a payment toward our home mortgage during a very difficult financial time in which my husband, Aaron gave his kidney to our daughter Paige.  The surgery took place on May 21, 2010 and Aaron was not able to work for about three weeks following the surgery.  We are so grateful for the help afforded us at that time.  It took a huge burden off our shoulders as Aaron attempted to save our daughter’s life by giving her his own kidney.  Aaron is slowly recovering, and very pleased at how well Paige is doing!  Thank you and God bless you for your generosity.  Please be sure to thank the donors who made this possible.  Sincerely, V. Turner

 Dear Kidney Kars: Thanks so much for helping us! Ihelped my mother-in-law, Sammie, donate her car to the Kidney Foundation.  You have so well refined the process, it made it very easy. Kidney Kars of Utah was especially meaningful because Sammie’s niece, recently died of kidney failure, and her brother now endures dialysis.  Helping Sammie give her car to Kidney Kars made Sammie feel that she was continuing her lifelong pursuit of helping others, even though she now needs the care of a nursing home.  She knows her car will go to help people like her niece and her brother.  Bless you for helping us to help Sammie, and for making her (and us) feel like we really made a difference for kidney patients here in Utah.    In appreciation, K.E.  Wood (Sammie’s Daughter-in-law)

Hey! Here’s an idea for Mother’s Day. Give Mom’s old minivan to the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Kars donation program and get that woman some new wheels. That’s right…maybe Mama needs a Porsche 911 Turbo Carrera or a BMW Z4 instead of some lame card and some flowers. Just a thought…You know, because what some Moms really want for Mother’s Day is to drive away in a really, really fast car without room for the whole family. 

And remember, for that old minivan—when you donate it to Kidney Kars, towing is free and donations make a great tax deduction!  For more information, or to donate your car, van, truck or boat, call 1-800-TOW-KARS (869-5277) or donate online at www.towKars.org

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Dear Kidney Foundation, My family and I would like to thank the donors, board members, and friends who made helping us pay our rent & gas possible.  Last fall Daniel (the main provider for our family) was diagnosed with end stage renal failure.  While I was searching for a job, we still had no way of bridging the gap between our new medical expenses and paying for rent, with the new financial burden of getting Daniel to and from dialysis three days a week.  Without your help and generosity, we would have been truly lost.  We are very grateful there are people and charities out there willing to help lend a hand to those in need–people they have never met.  We just want to say, thank you for helping us, for helping our family.  From the bottom of our hearts, Daniel & Julie C.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/CutYourTaxes/10bigDeductionsTooManyPeopleMiss.aspx

I wanted to thank the foundation for the generous scholarship I received.  Going to college has gone from a dream to reality.  But without the assistance the National Kidney Foundation of Utah has provided, I do not know where I’d be today. You are helping me make a better life for myself.  I’m 21 now, but when I was 16 I received a kidney transplant.  It changed my life.  Being sick makes you wonder if you will ever be able to accomplish anything and now I have the world at my fingertips.  I am the first person in my family to go to college.  I am in my final semester of the Occupational Therapy Assistance program at Salt Lake Community College.  I have always had an interest in the medical field.  I am very grateful to be able to persue my passion.  The Kidney Foundation does wonderful things and I will forever be grateful for how you have helped me since my transplant.  Sincerely, Brooke R.