Help Brandi with expenses after her kidney transplant

**UPDATE: MY TRANSPLANT SURGERY IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 28, 2026!!
I am officially active on the transplant list at UAB as of December 2025! I could receive the call at any time to go to the hospital to get my transplant!

My name is Brandi. I am writing this to inform you all of my story.

I found out in the beginning of 2015 that I had a rare genetic kidney disease called Alport’s Syndrome. It has been managed by diet change until around 2023, when my kidney function began to decline. Towards the end of 2024, I was in Stage 4 Renal Failure. At the end of March 2025, it was discovered that I was in Stage 5 Renal Failure and needed to begin dialysis soon. I received a chest catheter in mid-April and began hemodialysis 3 days a week. Hemodialysis drained me horribly to where I had maybe one day a week where I felt halfway like my usual self. After doing some research and consulting with my medical team, we all came to the agreement that Peritoneal Dialysis would benefit my life better since I have an 11-year-old Autistic son to take care of. In July, I underwent surgery to have the port inserted in my abdomen to begin Peritoneal Dialysis (PD). After training, I was able to begin PD at home in August; I do PD every night for 9 hours. Granted, I am not as drained, however, I do have days where I still retain excessive fluid and as a result, it has me feeling miserable.
Due to having to go on dialysis, I had to take a break from school, as I was 1.5 semesters away from graduating from nursing school with my RN. I am hoping to return once I receive my transplant and approval from my nephrologist. I also had to quit both of my jobs to do dialysis; I have been unable to work since April. I do not receive any assistance; I was recommended to apply, which I did, but I was denied. I was recently informed by my nephrologist that I could do light-duty LPN work for preferably part-time, but most jobs would interfere with my PD treatments.

I was finally able to get an appointment at UAB in September to have testing done to find out if I qualified to be on the transplant list. So far, it seems promising, since they encouraged me to launch this fundraiser. I have my next appointment for more testing at the end of November, which will hopefully be the final one they need to make a decision.

We are doing this fundraiser to help cover expenses over the span of around 4 months that will occur when I receive a kidney transplant. The amount of this fundraiser is the estimate I was given, since insurance will not cover everything. The funds will cover lodging after I am released from the hospital to stay close by for 6 weeks or longer, travel to and from the clinic after I am released to go home (I live almost 2 hours from the hospital), medications, as well as the expenses for a caregiver while staying in the area after being released from the hospital and when I am home.

I am hopeful that a kidney transplant will help me get back to a normal life.

Any donation given can be a tax deduction.

All donations will be dispersed into a separate account that is specifically for this reason.

Thank you in advance for anything you can donate.

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