Nikki’s Story
For the first 12 years of her life, Nikki was a healthy, active child. She loved traveling and exploring, going on hikes and long bike rides with the family. She was a strong swimmer who also played volleyball and golf. But on November 18, 2010 all of that activity stopped as Nikki was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with a rare autoimmune vasculitis disease known as Granulomatosis with Polyangitis, which caused her kidneys to fail. She now faces a new set of challenges including: a suppressed immune system to keep the vasculitis from harming other organs, many hospital stays, medications, chemotherapy, and a strict regimen of dialysis; which is now 14 hours every day while she awaits the optimal time to have a kidney transplant.

Thankfully; our older daughter, Michelle, is a good match and very excited to give her sister the gift of life by donating one of her kidneys to Nikki. Both Nikki and Michelle are scheduled for transplant surgery September 10, 2013. We are very grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses at UCLA. We are preparing for Nikki’s bright future.
A transplant means that Nikki will need anti-rejection medication for the rest of her life. Fortunately, our insurance will pay for most of the surgery but only pays for the medication for three years. When Nikki is 18, it will cost approximately $1500 per month for her medication. Because the anti-rejection medications suppress her immune system the vasculitis will stay in remission and cannot harm the transplanted kidney or any other organ.