Cathy Rykhus

Cathy Needs Your Support!

Cathy (Morrison) Rykhus is a 62-year-old woman who is very much in need of a kidney transplant and needs the support of her community for this to happen. Cathy grew up on a farm in Minnesota where her work ethic was nurtured. Since the age of 16, Cathy has been driven to help others, first as an aide in a nursing home, many years in a rural hardware store and eventually as an educational assistant in a Sioux Falls grade school where she has helped children for the last 16 years.

About 14 years ago, Cathy learned her kidneys were eventually going to fail due to an autoimmune disease, IgA Nephropathy. She is currently listed for a kidney transplant in the hopes of never having to start dialysis but dialysis is looming larger all the time. A kidney transplant would dramatically improve her health and allow her to continue her work with children.

Transplants are life-saving but financially draining. South Dakota ranks last in the United States in teacher pay which makes affording the out-of-pocket costs associated with transplant very difficult for her. Even with insurance, Cathy is facing costly medical insurance premiums, the extraordinary cost of the anti-rejection medication she will need to take for the rest of her life, copays and possible assistance with any living donor expenses should someone step forward for her.

To help with the financial burden of Cathy Rykhus’ uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in her honor has been established with Help Hope Live, 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 Help Hope Live in the North-Central Kidney Transplant Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider a contribution.

For credit card contributions, please click the yellow Donate Now button.

Thank you for your prayers, support, and generosity. Keep an eye on Cathy’s campaign page at www.helphopelive.org because we will be planning some fundraising events.

Gratefully,

Margaret Morrison (Cathy’s sister)
612-644-5314
[email protected]