Iris Downey, of Pacific Island heritage, was born and raised in Burlington, VT. In 2006 she was diagnosed with Acute Lupus Nephritis. After utilizing traditional western medicine and eating a raw vegan diet, Iris went into remission for a short period of time while living on the beautiful Island of Kauai, HI. She was able to establish a rich musical career and produce an album. However, given the strength and particular nature of her disease, it returned and quickly destroyed her kidneys. The doctors have told Iris that her only chance at a healthy life is to have a kidney transplant.

Iris is now home in Vermont and surrounded by the loving light of her doctors, family and friends in the beautiful community of Burlington. She needs our help to successfully reach her goal of a better quality of life through transplantation. Even with insurance, Iris will have many uninsured, transplant-related expenses such as: co-pays and deductibles, doctor visits and the costly immunosuppressant medications that she will need to take for the rest of her life. This presents a financial challenge that she cannot meet alone.