Connor has battled the complications of type 1 diabetes his whole life. He was diagnosed at age 7 after he went into critical ketoacidosis and was hospitalized for a week. As anyone could assume it was a hard adjustment learning to give yourself a shot everyday and learning about the ins and outs of diabetes at only 7 years old. He was 11 when he was able to receive his first insulin pump which helped in getting his diabetes under control for most of his teenage years and early 20’s.
Connor was able to do the things he loved which mostly consisted of riding dirtbikes and hanging out with his friends with very few complications. Fast forward to age 24 when Connor was working around the country for his job and was hospitalized from a callus from work boots that turned into a bone infection, small things like that are very dangerous for diabetics. Connor came back home to East Idaho and had a central line for six weeks to fight the infection. The following year at age 25 he developed diabetic retinopathy and began receiving laser eye treatments to help maintain his vision. Unfortunately, he has gone mostly blind in his right eye.
At age 27 he was given the news that he was in stage 4 kidney failure. The doctors have worked hard with him to help maintain his kidney function for the last two years to put off dialysis. In September Connor will be 28 and he is now active on the transplant list to receive a kidney and pancreas transplant. Pancreas transplants are rare and only done if necessary because it is normal for people who have them to experience an acute rejection episode within the first few months. The good news of this is that with the pancreas transplant he will be cured of his diabetes. Connor will be in a rehabilitation facility in Utah for several months after his transplants so he can be carefully monitored.
Family and friends of Connor Riehl are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with transplantation.
Connor has chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button.
For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.
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