Natalie Meyers

Natalie Meyers has had kidney disease all her life. She was born with multiple health issues which in turn caused a decline in the function of her kidneys. In fact as a baby and child the doctors were so convinced of the severity of her medical problems that they told her parents that she would never be healthy. A year ago, Natalie got the call that all patients with a severe disease dread, she was no longer stable and would need a life-saving kidney transplant.

From the beginning, Natalie has defied the odds. Having been told that she would never be able to have a child of her own, in 2006 Natalie discovered to the shock of her doctors that she was pregnant with a baby boy. The doctors swore she wouldn’t make it past her 8th week of pregnancy; when she made it past the 12th week, the doctors didn’t really know what to say. On June 27, 2007 her son Gabriel was born, 8 weeks early but completely healthy! For six years, Natalie’s kidney function stabilized. In those years Natalie met her husband and step daughter. With two kids, two dogs and a husband all depending on her, the news that Natalie was in kidney failure made it seemed like the world was falling down around her. But with some research and some time and talking to some really great people who have been through it, Natalie found hope in transplant.

Even with insurance, transplants can be extremely expensive, not only for the person in need of a kidney but also the live donor. Out-of-pocket expenses include copays, travel expenses for the donor, unexpected complications and the very expensive anti-rejection medications that Natalie will have to take for the rest of her life. These expenses add up and can quickly become overwhelming.

To help with the financial burden of Natalie’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 Mid-Atlantic Kidney Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider making a contribution to help Natalie get a second chance at a healthy life and continue to be around for the family who depends on her so much.

Thank you for your consideration and support.

Kind regards,
Pat Gorman, Natalie’s friend