Gaylen Baldwin was diagnosed with renal failure and is need of a kidney transplant! Please allow me to share some of Gaylen’s story with you.
Gaylen is a giver. She has always sacrificed and put the needs of her family and loved ones above her own. I have seen this first hand, but more importantly, as her son, I have experienced it far too many times to count. I was born with chronic renal disease which required countless visits to doctors, surgeries, prescription medication and hospital stays. My mom – a single mother – was there each and every time. She went without to ensure that I had every necessary treatment and prescription. She missed work over and over again – costing her in both income and potential career advancement – so that her little boy didn’t have to stay in the hospital all alone. She gave and never asked anything in return.
Later in life, she once again assumed the role of the selfless care-giver. This time it was for my grandfather, who was in chronic poor health. Instead of leaving him to the loneliness and indignities of a nursing home, she chose to live with and attend to him personally until his death years later.
Now, this remarkably caring woman who has always cared for others is herself in need of life-saving care. I am looking for help to finally be able to give back and repay her for all she’s done for me and others.
Due to her renal failure and dialysis treatments, she has been forced to retire from her government job of 40 years. The illness has robbed her of her energy and quality of life. She is missing out on so many things that someone her age should be able to enjoy at this point in her life, like watching her twin grandchildren grow up.
The good news is that Gaylen has been evaluated at the Transplant Institute at Research Hospital, and is considered an excellent candidate for kidney transplantation. Through the gift of transplantation, she hopes to someday return to work, if only part-time and lead a more active, enjoyable life.
Transplantation is life saving, but very expensive. Gaylen does have insurance, but there are still significant holes in her coverage. Without assistance, she will be left with tens of thousands of dollars worth of out-of-pocket expenses from both the surgery itself and the lifelong, post-transplant drug therapy and doctor follow-ups. To help with these uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in Gaylen’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive in the Midwest/West Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. If you wish to make a donation:
For credit card contributions, select the DONATE NOW button or call 800.642.8399.
To donate by check:
Make checks payable to:
HelpHOPELive
Note in memo section:
In honor of Gaylen Baldwin
Please send to:
HelpHOPELive
2 Radnor Corporate Center
100 Matsonford Road, Suite 100
Radnor, PA 19087
Your financial gifts as well as your prayers will be greatly appreciated, and will help us through this difficult time.
Sincerely,
The Family of Gaylen Baldwin
816-679-3815
[email protected]
