Malina Harvey

Malina Harvey has been a type 1 diabetic for 25 years. After having two boys, who are now 2 and 5 years old, her body simply began to give out and she developed hypoglycemic unawareness, an extremely dangerous and life threatening condition. A kidney/pancreas transplant is her only option.

When Malina’s blood sugar get too low, she doesn’t feel it and isn’t aware that she needs glucose. This condition is particularly dangerous especially in the evening during sleep. After having a low blood sugar episode there is only have a certain amount of time to be given some form of glucose before passing away. About five years ago, her condition became so bad that she would have a low blood sugar and start- having seizures in the middle of the night. Malina’s mom and husband found her many times near death and had to call 911. About 2 years ago we contacted OU medical center. After tons of testing the OU transplant team decided Malina would be a good candidate for a pancreas transplant and she was placed on the waiting list. During the time period she was waiting for a transplant, her kidney function became worse and she was added to the kidney transplant list too. Now we are just waiting for her life saving transplant.

The transplant team’s financial coordinator advised us to begin fundraising for the expenses of transplant. Due to the changes in Malina’s health insurance plan we have a $3,300 out-of-pocket cost before ANY medical is covered including prescriptions. Out-of-pocket cost for prescriptions the first month after transplant will be around $1,000 and Malina will take anti-rejection medications for the rest of her life. Our family has suffered financially since Malina had to unexpectedly quit her job in May of 2015 due to her illness. Malina’s husband is now working a second job in order to support our family of six. We tell you all of this to explain why we need your help. We do not take this lightly. In fact, this is truly painful and incredibly humbling for us to ask for help.

To help with the financial burden of Malina’s uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in her 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 South-Central Pancreas/Kidney Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only.

Please consider making a contribution.

If you are able to make a contribution I would like to say in advance THANK YOU! If you can’t, please keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers.

With Love,

The Harvey (Brywczynski) Family