Help Hope Live for Krizinne Cross
2026 January 22 **** UPDATE **** Krizinne’s employer set up a Go-Fund-Me page. All contributions will assist Krizinne through her Kidney Transplant and required medical stay in Salt Lake. The employer has generously included a raffle. See link below.
2026 January 14 – Krizinne was notified that her kidney transplant has been scheduled for February 4, 2026. This is great news.! Philanthropist who may be looking for qualified tax-deductible contribution to directly assist an individual, please consider Krizinne’s cause. The required stay has been reduced to six weeks, and for that reason motel lodging will be sought close to the Intermountain Medical center in Murray, Utah. There they know her by her first name, Yay!
2026 Happy New Year! The wait for a kidney endures. Until then, normal life routine continues. Christmas included family gatherings for meals, cookie decorating, and seeing old friends. The focused prayer includes being selected for a kidney prior to the need for dialysis, which is hard on a transplanted heart. In 1997, late side effects of life-saving but aggressive chemo were known to affect organs such as the heart and kidneys. Krizinne is resilient, loves life to help others, and is blessed to have Jerod’s support and transportation from Wyoming to Utah appointments. They are committed! Thank you for joining Krizinne’s prayer chain.
December 2025: Krizinne’s next medical journey is for a kidney transplant hopefully no later than mid 2026. Please take a moment to write words of encouragement in the guest book directly on this campaign page link (not on my facebook post). I’m asking for your valuable words of personally knowing Krizinne and witnessing her determination. Sincere thanks. God Bless.
2025: Thank you for taking the time to read this short summary of a very determined woman. Life is not easy, but worth fighting for. Krizinne continues to persevere through medical challenges presented throughout her life.
At age fifteen Krizinne was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma. The treatment included two aggressive chemotherapy medicines. This regiment was presented with possible risks of late side-effects of chemo, yet the choice was made to fight cancer! The treatment also required a total knee replacement. Years later symptoms presented that the chemo had indeed damaged her heart requiring her first transplant. Four years later the donor heart failed and a second heart transplant was required. Following recovery, life got back on track and Krizinne found purpose and employment by working at a credit union. A few years later Krizinne’s kidney’s started failing due to the chemo therapy received as a teenager, as well as from side effects from the immunosuppression drugs for her heart transplant. In the fall of 2024 Krizinne developed an infection in her replaced knee, needing surgery to clean it out. Back on her feet Krizinne is re-activated on the kidney transplant path, hoping to receive a living donor without needing to go on dialysis, as dialysis is very hard on transplanted hearts. The fight for life and to raise and witness twin sons graduate from high-school last year is a blessing that Krizinne does not take for granted. We are fortunate that modern medicine enables life. Following the transplant, Krizinne looks forward to returning to work at the credit union.
2010: Krizinne Cross HelpHOPELive Midwest/West Heart Transplant Fund Friday August 13, 2010 Krizinne received a gracious gift of life. Krizinne will remain close to the hospital for six months post surgery then return to Wyoming to get on with her life! The (original) profile pic was taken enroute to the hospital not long after receiving the call. Krizinne’s life has been transformed. Thank you for your support and heartfelt gifts for the love of life!
Updates (5)
February 11, 2026
2026 February 11 All is well this morning following transplant surgery. The OR reports that the kidney was functioning properly. Krizinne awake and reports minimal pain. Collective prayers were heard! Thank you
February 11, 2026
2026 February 10 About 7:30 p.m. Krizinne has been moved to the operating room for a live donor kidney transplant. It's happening!
February 10, 2026
2026 February 10 - Krizinne is checked into Intermountain Healthcare Center in Murry, UT. The central line has been placed, and plasmapheresis has been completed. This afternoon the live donor kidney is expected to be flown in, assuming from the east coast. While we wait, we praise our Savior for nurturing Krizinne and her donor with the love of life, in Jesus' name.
January 29, 2026
2026 January 29 - Krizinne was notified that transplant has been rescheduled from Feb 4th to Feb10th due to severe weather storms back east. The team will not risk the timeliness of an organ expiring at the airport. This reminds me how the team places great value in Krizinne being a qualified recipient, when the time is right.
January 27, 2026
2026 January 26 - Krizinne made the six hour drive to Salt Lake for pre-op evaluation, and is confirmed to be schuled for transplant February 4th. Such a blessing to be qualified and entrusted with precious gifts. While many parts of the country were under severe winter conditions, Casper to SLC roads were good.
Guestbook
January 26, 2026
We are praying for you, your strength is an inspiration.
Anonymous
January 20, 2026
You're incredible, Krizinne, and we're sending our best wishes and big hugs as you continue your medical journey. Love you and your positive energy!
Pat & Jennet Ballinger
January 17, 2026
You have always been amazing with your resilience and fortitude and positive energy. Best of luck with the new kidney!!
Heidi Miller
January 15, 2026
Good luck Krizinne with your kidney transplant transplant. I hope all goes well!
Joe Shippen
December 31, 2025
Your strength and courage is so inspiring Krizinne!! Sending you lots of prayers for the times ahead.
Haley Lozier
December 31, 2025
Krizinne,
Having watched you go through all that you have when we were kids is just so inspiring. You have always been so positive with a smile on your face and have a love and zest for life. Your boys are so blessed to have you as their mom. You make everything so fun, even in not so good times, people would never know because of your happiness.
I pray this happens for you. I could not think of a more deserving person!
Barb Strasser
December 19, 2025
Your strength and courage is such an inspiration, you’re in our prayers.
Best,
Jim & Marlena Carey
Jim & Marlena Carey
December 15, 2025
Krizinne, your tenacity and strength will carry you through this difficult time. Your bravery never ceases to amaze me and I often think of you with inspiration.
We are all so grateful for your donor and this life changing gift that you will receive.
We are wishing you a smooth journey
and recovery.
Willard and Tanya Kenyon.
Tanya Kenyon
December 12, 2025
Dear Krizinne,
We knew this was coming sometime, but didn\'t expect this news now. What a blessing that you have a donor! We\'ll be praying for you that you have the strength and energy to get through the holidays and that the date will be set sooner than March. You are so very blessed with so many loving friends that I know all your needs will be met as they arise. Much Love, Merle and Romaine
Romaine Whetstone
December 10, 2025
Thinking of you and wishing you well, Krizinne!
Help Hope Live team
August 27, 2008
Dear Krizinne, We never ever thought your wait would be this long. You are teaching a lot of us a lot about patience and how to endure a long wait. Our nightly prayers are that your new heart will become available very soon, but we know that God''s time is not like ours. Please know that you are daily in our thoughts. God Bless You.
Great Aunt Romaine Whetstone - Van Wert OH
March 18, 2008
TEAM KRIZINNE
Home is where the heart is. As of February 2008, Krizinne Cross from Dubois, Wyoming, ie: the “Girl with the Big Heart” has moved and is temporarily at home in Salt Lake City, Utah. She picked SLC for medical care due to world renowned Heart Transplant Specialists there. She waits for her pager to alert her to go to the hospital. The pager call could come any day now, to up to maybe a year from now.
Salt Lake will be Krizinne’s home base until her total recovery from her heart transplant. To remain at the top of the transplant list, she is tethered to no further than two hours from the hospital. When the pager sounds off, her priorities will be to place her twin two year old boys in trustworthy hands and get herself to the hospital. As of now, she is living a normal life as mother of two year olds.
Krizinne as well as family and friends are hopeful that when the pager goes off someone well known to Krizinne and the boyz be with her in Salt Lake and be able to 1) be at Krizinne’s side to be with her at the hospital, and 2) stay with the boyz in their apartment that they have comfortably adapted to. (In moving, the boyz did not miss their cribs, and are very fond of their new big boy toddler beds.)
Krizinne has found a “24/7 relief day care” just ten minutes from her apartment that offers a place for people with medical reasons or unsafe homes.
Plan A is to have a member of Team Krizinne with her at all times, but this may not possible. As back up Plan B, two year old Jasper and Colten could be cared for at either the 24/7 day care or by a SLC friend for the six hours that it takes for someone from “Team Krizinne” to make the drive from Dubois to Salt Lake to resume responsibility for the children.
Following the surgery, Krizinne will be hospital bound for at least a week to up to a month and is mentally preparing herself as hospitals are not where she would choose to be. Regardless of the hospital stay, Krizinne will remain in Salt Lake for about three months following the transplant to guarantee compatibility.
To know Krizinne is an honor. Being in Krizinne’s presence is a delight. The sun is always shining in her world. People including those who have known her since birth, as well as new acquaintances find her attitude and life story to be inspiring. Krizinne finds pleasure in the simplest aspects of daily living. Krizinne also has a talent to embrace the most challenging medical conditions with an appreciation of life, positive attitude and a strong will to live. When the time comes, the person who has pre-arranged to be an organ donor will be very proud where their heart now calls home.
If you are not already, would you like to be on Team Krizinne?
• Thank you for the prayers that keep Krizinne energized.
• Email [email protected] to receive an email when pager sounds the alert. Include your cell phone number to receive a very short text message when the pager goes off.
• If new friends in the Salt Lake area would be willing to personally respond to Krizinne, prior arrangements could be made to create a call list. “Team Krizinne” would be very considerate of days and times authorized and acceptable to call. (The pager call could come at anytime 24/7)
Amy Cross, Krizinne's mother February 2008
August 1, 2007
Dear Krizinne
I am a friend of your cousin Rhonda. She has shared with me your website and I wanted to let you know that I thinking of you and praying for you and your entire family.
Erika, Dayton, Ohio
July 30, 2007
Dear Krizinne,
I work with your cousin, Rhonda Whetstone, at The Dayton Art Institute. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
God Bless,
Kim Patton
Kim Patton, Dayton, OH
May 19, 2007
Krizinne, Just to let you know that there are people out there who don't even know you and will be helping you out (I will make sure of it). It's been a long time since I've lived in Dubois, but us "Wyoming folk" help each other out in any way we can! Keep your chin up!!!
Tara (Bernard) Kapeles, Casper, WY
April 3, 2007
Dear Krizinne,
I am so proud of you. You never let anything get you down. Your positive spirit is inspirational. I know that you are being a great mother to your twins, Jasper and Colten. They are lucky to have such a wonderful mother.
Dawn Wojcik, Trotwood, OH
April 2, 2007
Krizinne,
I am amazed with your courage and fortitude in everything you've been through. You are an inspiration to us all.
Love,
Your second cousin,
Rhonda Whetstone, Dayton, OH
March 28, 2007
Dear Krizinne, Your best asset is your attitude. The fortitude that you convey is an inspiration to all that know you. I adore how your attitude has influenced your young boys to be as light hearted as you. What a teacher of life lessons you are. Love always,
Amy Cross, Dubois, Wy
