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 of Utah,  I appreciate all that you have done for me.  I am so thankful to receive my new glasses.  I can see much better now.  I wish I had better words to express my appreciation, but when I try it just makes me want to cry in gratitude.  Thank you so much.  Respectfully,  R. Vasquez

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)

Dear Kidney Foundation: Thank you so much for the help you are giving to our father.  We have had four really hard years since his kidney stopped working and he’s been on dialysis.   The medical expenses have devastated his and my mother’s life. Dad has to drive 130 miles a week to receive dialysis treatments to keep him alive. Keeping the only car they have running and buying gas to get him to and from dialysis is more than they can afford.  Today they received a letter from Social Security informing them that they will be receiving $400 less a month from now on.  They have no idea how they are going to make it now.  They are  having to depend on the generosity of the local food bank now.  We are so grateful for the help you are providing through financial assistance.  They could not survive at all were it not for the generosity of others.  Sincerely, The Bird Family

We wanted to write a quick thank you to the National Kidney Foundation of Utah to say thank you for the help in buying us gasoline so I could drive from Logan to Ogden every day for two weeks so I could get trained helping my husband do diaysis here at home.  Getting trained to help him dialyze at home we knew would be a huge blessing for our family, but the extra expense in gas and time away from our young family was a hurdle we just have not been able to surpass. Thank you for helping us take at least one of the burdens from our shoulders.  Thank you to all the Kidney Foundation’s generous Kidney Kars donors, and other sponsors who help people like us living with kidney failure.  God Bless you.   K. Johnson

http://www.abc4.com/sports/story/Coaches-hit-the-links-for-charity/XKkvatl6Zkalo-97wW5h3Q.cspx

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700036893/Utah-BYU-coaches-lend-assist-to-Kidney-Foundation.html

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=635&sid=11011094

http://heraldextra.com/news/local/article_884391dc-6a8e-11df-b61c-001cc4c002e0.html

Gary Coleman has lived in Utah County since 2005. Although Coleman died of a brain hemorrhage, he suffered most of his life with chronic kidney failure. Coleman has been on dialysis, and had two kidney transplants. While his life here in Utah has not been without trouble, we send very sincere condolences to his family on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation of Utah & Idaho.