My wife Lori Lidestri, has been waiting 10 years for a life-saving kidney transplant. Through the Living Donor Kidney Exchange Program, Lori will be receiving the gift of life – a kidney from another donor, and I will be donating one of my kidneys to give another person a chance for a full life. This will all take place at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD.

Lori was diagnosed at the age of 23 with Chronic Kidney Failure and began dialysis. Since then, she has had several transplants, one lasting for 15 years. She is presently doing hemodialysis at the hospital three times per week. We have been married for 19 years and I can’t imagine my life without her. She is a loving wife, daughter-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and good friend to many.

A transplant is life saving, but can be financially draining. Even with insurance, there are many expenses that we will incur that must be paid out of pocket. Some of these are co-pays, deductibles, lab fees, and travel back and forth to the transplant center. Lori will need to relocate for at least two months at the time of transplant. In addition, she will be on a life-time of expensive anti-rejection medications. This puts us up against a challenge we cannot meet alone and need your help.