Mark Kelley

Mark is a 67-year-old military retiree who served 29 years in the Army and has been married to his wonderful wife, Hope since May 26, 1978.

After retiring in 2012, he was diagnosed with Stage III Kidney Disease. His kidney condition continued to decline, and in 2013, he found out he had a disease called Light Chain Deposition Disease, which was impacting his kidneys. After a year of chemo treatments, he was able to undergo an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in June of 2016 at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. He continued a regimen of chemo drugs until December 2017.

Having achieved remission and staying stable as Stage IV Kidney Disease, in November of 2023, he went to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and was screened and listed on the Active Kidney Transplant list. During this season of his life, Mark enjoys being active in his church, serving as Commander at his VFW Post, singing karaoke, and being a granddad to his 5 grandsons. He hasn’t let his medical conditions deter him from being as active as possible. 

 Mark is fundraising for the costs of temporarily relocating close to the Transplant center and his team, where he will have to spend up to six weeks upon release from the hospital after his transplant for follow-up care.

This fund will also help defray out-of-pocket expenses as he continues to travel from his home in Melbourne, Florida, to Tampa for his ongoing follow-up visits to Moffitt Cancer Center. Of course, costs can always increase if he encounters any setbacks or complications. 

 Mark trusts that his Kidney transplant will allow him to have a healthier life with greater longevity, and to enjoy more time with his family and friends. 

 Please consider donating to Help Hope Live in Mark’s honor today and ask your friends and family to consider giving as well. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.

Our family and friends are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live in honor of Mark Kelley to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with a Transplant. Mark has 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.

Please consider making a donation and sharing this page on your social media platforms. Every donation helps. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Mark and Hope. Their faith has sustained them through the years.

Thank you for your support.