Community Rallying to Help 55-Year-Old Who Needs Kidney Transplant

Emily Progin, PR and Communications Coordinator

Release: Immediate

COMMUNITY RALLYING TO HELP 55-YEAR-OLD WHO NEEDS KIDNEY TRANSPLANT

Ken’s Gift of Life Could Arrive at Any Minute – But Financial Support Is Key

GREENSBORO, N.C.—55-year-old Ken March is waiting for the gift of a lifetime: a kidney transplant that will give him a brighter, healthier future. As he waits for his gift, Ken’s friends and family members are partnering with the nonprofit Help Hope Live to help him cover the extensive out-of-pocket costs associated with the gift of new life.

Ken has been experiencing slowly deteriorating health for years. In 2019, his kidney decline reached a critical point, and he joined the UNC kidney transplant waiting list. His next step is to either find a living kidney donor or receive a kidney from a deceased organ donor. He has started receiving dialysis three times per week for four hours at a time as a bridge to transplant.

Ken had a kidney removed in April 2022 due to a cancerous spot, which left him weaker than ever. The prospect of receiving a transplant is a bright spot: “I think my life will return back to somewhat normal.”

Spending quality time with his friends as well as his mom, siblings, nieces, and nephews is a driving force in Ken’s life and a source of hope as he prepares for the journey ahead. He moved to the Greensboro area five years ago.

As he awaits the gift of life, Ken is putting together a financial safety net to help cover the extensive out-of-pocket costs associated with the procedure. A kidney transplant costs roughly $442,000 before insurance. Uncovered costs for Ken will likely include medical travel for appointments and the transplant and a hotel stay to be near the transplant hospital as he recovers—his medical centers are located more than an hour from home.

Ken’s community is partnering with the trusted national medical fundraising nonprofit Help Hope Live. Tax-deductible donations can be made at: https://helphopelive.org/campaign/16554/

Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and all funds raised will be managed by the nonprofit to cover verified medical and related expenses. Help Hope Live verifies medical and financial need for every patient, and funds raised will not jeopardize Ken’s eligibility for state-based benefits—a key difference from GoFundMe and other crowdfunding.

Help Hope Live is a national nonprofit that specializes in engaging communities in secure, tax-deductible fundraising campaigns for people who need a transplant or are affected by a catastrophic injury or illness. Since 1983, campaigns organized by Help Hope Live have raised over $165 million to pay patient expenses. ###

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Written by Emily Progin