Derek was very lucky to meet his wife, Lee, whom he calls his “angel from above.” Not only is he blessed to have her in his life, but after many months of medical testing it was determined that Lee was a match, a compatible donor, and able to give him one of her kidneys!

A transplant date has been set, but the cost of a transplant can be overwhelming. Funding this life-saving procedure is a monumental task, as there will be many medical expenses not completely covered by insurance. High co-pays for some of the immune suppression medications, annual deductibles, travel expenses from Lompoc, CA to Sacramento, CA and aftercare lodging are just part of the expenses they will incur. The cost of just one medication is estimated at $569 per month!

Derek was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but has lived in the Lompoc community for over 40 years. He worked at Raytheon in Santa Barbara, and for the Dept. of Justice in Lompoc. He medically retired in 2013 due to complications with his diabetes, and kidney failure. Together, Derek, Lee and their families are committed to seeing him through this transplant process. He is looking forward to many years to come with his grandchildren!

To help with the financial burden of Derek’s uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in his honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, 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, are held by HelpHOPELive in the Southwest Kidney Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider making a contribution and click donate now.

Thank you for your support and generosity,

The family of Derek and Lee, derekavillanoza@comcast.net