Verna Lou Ulu Iha’s Story

In 1994 Verna was diagnosed with diabetes and has been battling the disease ever since. She was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2013. As a result of this disease, she has been on dialysis three days a week for the past year. Verna has struggled through many medical complications and hospitalizations, and a transplant is now her only chance of survival. Through all of this, her determination and fight for life are incredibly admirable and encouraging. Because her daughter and son have tested positive to be kidney donors she is able to focus on getting better.

Verna is on the kidney transplant list at University of California San Francisco Medical Center. Because of the extraordinary expense of transplantation, funding this life-saving operation is a monumental task. Despite having Medicare and Kaiser Medical Insurance, many of her medical needs are not covered and must be paid out-of-pocket. In addition, travel expenses and meal costs are expenses that she cannot meet alone. If Verna is unable to raise the funds for her uninsured expenses her surgery will be put on hold.

To help offset her uninsured costs, a fundraising campaign in Verna’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for 30 years. All contributions are tax-deductible, are held in the Southwest Kidney Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. You can help make a difference in Verna’s life. Please consider a contribution.