My name is Calista Rocha. I’m nineteen years old and I‘m asking for your help with my medical expenses after I receive a kidney transplant. I live in a single parent household and my mother is the only person able to stay with me in the hospital while I recover, leaving her work and all our expenses behind.

At birth, I was diagnosed with spina bifida, which caused me to have neurogenic bladder and bowels, which eventually led to me being diagnosed with Stage 4, borderline Stage 5, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). I found out my diagnosis the week of my 16th birthday. Even though I had attended countless doctors’ appointments pretty much since birth, no doctor had recognized any signs or realized I had developed CKD until it was too late and I was already in desperate need of a transplant. So much could have been prevented had just ONE of the doctors I had been seeing, seen any signs of Stage 1 CKD- but that just wasn’t the case for me. My social life has declined since I must be cautious as to who is around me because somebody’s 4-day cold could turn into a 4-week cold for me. However, after 3 years, I have finally started back in school and am currently a college sophomore and am lucky enough to have been able to keep myself off dialysis, but that may not be the case for long. I am hopeful that this kidney transplant can be the jump start of a new and healthy life.

My uncle, Erik, is in the process to be my living donor. Funding this life-changing procedure is more than my family can handle on their own as there will be many medical expenses not covered by my insurance such as co-pays, lifelong anti-rejection medications, travel and living expenses, and more.

To help offset such expenses, a fundraising campaign in Calista’s honor has been established with Help Hope Live, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law, are held by Help Hope Live in the South-Central Kidney Transplant Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for transplant-related expenses only. If you would like to make a contribution, please click the DONATE NOW bar.

On behalf of the Rocha family, we appreciate any kind thoughts, prayers, or contributions you are willing to make.

Thank you,
Calista Rocha, patient
calistarocha@icloud.com
580.716.3298 (Mother’s Phone)