Nikki Lyons

Family and friends of Nikki Lyons are raising money to pay for uninsured medical expenses associated with her second kidney transplantation.

Nikki had a successful kidney transplant over 5 years ago. All was going well until COVID-19 caused Nikki to reject her kidney and also put her in heart failure. Nikki’s heart is now strong enough to begin the process of another transplant. She is now on daily dialysis and unable to work to support herself. She is on disability and has accumulated medical bills. In order to proceed with the search for a donor, Nikki must demonstrate the ability to cover the cost of her donation. Medicare, through disability services only covers a portion.

Once again, Nikki’s path to her MD/PhD for pediatric neuro-oncolgy is on hold. She is frustrated and anxious to get to work treating children with brain cancer while trying to find cures and better treatments. While her studies are delayed, Nikki continues to advocate, support and contribute as best she can for the pediatric brain cancer community.

The goal is $75,000 so that the transplant team will approve Nikki, to begin the search for a donor.

Nikki is a 22 year old college student and is waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant. Nikki suffers from Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). This fall she was unable to return to school due to her declining health. Amazing people have stepped up and are offering to be tested as a match for Nikki. We know she will find her “perfect match”soon A kidney transplant is her only hope for realizing her dreams of going to medical school and becoming a doctor specializing in neurological diseases.

She wants to make a difference, a BIG difference.

Nikki is one of a kind! Smart, ambitious, hard working, motivated, determined, and compassionate. A true Jersey Girl who loves living in Chicago. Nikki is a wonderful daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and a great friend to many. She is a graduate of Waubonsie Valley High School, a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, loves music, the beach, her family, friends and life in general. Since the day she was born her nickname has been Sunshine!

While most people her age are worrying about finals or student loans, Nikki now has to worry about paying for her transplant … and her student loans. Even with insurance, the cost of transplant can be overwhelming and there are many expenses that must be paid out of pocket….and the expenses continue for a lifetime.

And Nikki, she has a lot of lifetime ahead of her!

Transplants are life saving but financially draining. Even with insurance, Nikki is facing very high expenses including co-pays, housing, donor expenses, post-transplant medications of up to $1,200 a month, lab fees and more.

To help with the financial burden of Nikki’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 North Central Kidney Transplant Fund, and are
administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only.

Please consider a contribution.

We are forever grateful for Nikki and for your support

Nikki has chosen to fundraise with HelpHOPELive in part because HelpHOPELive assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for donors. Donors can be sure that funds donated will be used only to pay or reimburse medically-related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Donate Now button.

For more information, please contact HelpHOPELive at 800.642.8399.

Thank you for your support!