Leslie Fries, Jr

My name is­­­ Les Fries, and I am raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund any medical and travel/lodging expenses that we will incur after my kidney transplant. I have chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because donations are tax-deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses.

Chronic kidney disease is a problem that I have been dealing with since December 2007. Unfortunately, over time my kidney disease has continued to progress to the extent that I will need a kidney transplant. The effects and treatments required to combat it have been a constant stress on my mind, body, and soul.

Since October 2024, I’ve been doing dialysis, initially in Center which required traveling about 100 miles 2 days a week, then in March 2025 I started doing dialysis at home. This treatment often leaves me feeling tired, especially when it is in Center, and makes it difficult to do the things I enjoy, like camping or traveling. I must make sure there is always electricity available and that I pack enough medical supplies for the duration of our trip. It’s not as easy as just packing up and leaving. We must plan and determine what time I need to be done with treatment to make an appointment or scheduled events.

I look forward to the day that I can get my normal life back. It would be a blessing to be able to travel more, spend time with family and enjoy life without the constant concerns for my health. After my transplant, I would like to take a big family vacation. Prior to getting on dialysis, we were planning a trip to TN. My wife had booked our cabin, and we were deciding which shows and tourist attractions we were going to visit first. All of that was cancelled because I had to go on dialysis. We’ve also had to decline going on mission trips with our church family, which is very disappointing.

I am on the waiting list for a kidney, however that can often take years to get a match. I am fortunate enough to have a friend be my living donor to benefit my health and improve my quality of life. This living donor transplant means so much to me for multiple reasons. The transplant can be scheduled which means using robotic technology for the procedure, plus longevity of the kidney is much greater, and I won’t have to be on dialysis for 4 to 6 years while waiting for a donor. Once the transplant takes place, I will remain in the hospital for about 2 weeks. During that time, my family will need to stay near the hospital and that will be very costly. Not to mention the cost of traveling to and from the hospital. Once I am discharged, we will need to return 2 to 3 times a week for about a month and then weekly for a few months after that. Round trip, we will drive 410 miles minimum each time we have to go to the transplant center. My family and I would be so grateful and blessed if you could help me fund my transplant experience by sharing this information with your own network of friends, family and community. You never know who will say yes, so share with EVERYONE and let them decide.  

We sincerely thank you,

The Fries Family