Megan Leary

Megan Needs Your Help

Megan is a newly married 24-year-old woman who needs a kidney transplant. Born with bilateral renal arterial stenosis, she spent months on life support at Boston Children’s Hospital. Thanks to a wonderful team of dedicated doctors and nurses, Megan, at 16 months old became strong enough to get a kidney transplant from her mom. The kidney lasted for over 22 years. During these years, Megan had several medical challenges including spinal fusion surgery but with each setback, she remained positive and fought to have as normal a life as possible. Since her kidney failed in January, Megan has balanced hemo-dialysis three times per week with her work as a medical assistant and her life with her new husband, puppy, and home.

Megan grew up in Johnston, Rhode Island. She graduated from Johnston High School and Lincoln Technical School. She loved football cheerleading and playing softball, up until her multiple back surgeries forced her to stop participating. Megan met Christopher DaFonseca in 2009 and was recently married on a beautiful day in April. Megan’s aunt, who is her mother’s identical twin sister, is being tested and will hopefully be her related donor for her new kidney.

Transplants are truly lifesaving but the process will be a financial burden for Megan and her husband, as well as her Aunt. There are many transplant related expenses not covered by insurance. Megan will have to visit the hospital in Boston, which is about 60 miles from home, as many as three times per week, as well as the costly immunosuppressant medications that she will have to take for the rest of her life.

To help with the financial burden of Megan’s 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 to the full extent allowed by law, are held by Help Hope Live in the Northeast Kidney Transplant Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider making a contribution.

I invite all or our friends, families and colleagues to join us in helping make this transplant process stress-free as possible so that Megan can once again enjoy the health benefits of a transplant and resume her life. Join us in her fight to be a happy, normal 20-something woman, a loving wife, aunt, sister and friend.

With sincere gratitude and appreciation for your support,

Daniel J. Chapman (Megan’s Dad)