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Sandy Fulton is not your average event planner. Under the affectionate nickname, “The Porkanizer,” Sandy organizes and grows events with passion and expertise from her lifetime of work in the hospitality industry. Sandy is a Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) Contest Organizer and a member of the KCBS Board of Directors. She helps organize KSBC-sanctioned […]

Yusef Harris is a loving father and a longtime community volunteer and youth mentor. Combating health issues since 2004, Yusef needs a kidney transplant to live a long and healthy life. He and his family have turned to HelpHOPELive for fundraising support. As he copes with the challenges of end-stage renal failure and exhausting dialysis […]

In 2007, Jeff Harris was enjoying July 4 on the beach with friends when the unthinkable happened. “We were kicking a soccer ball around on the beach and my buddy kicked the ball in the water,” explained Jeff. As he dove into the water, “I hit right around the top of my head at the […]

In 2015, a group of gamers played The Legend of Zelda for 150 hours straight to raise money for our nonprofit. Their efforts made a significant impact in the lives of our clients and their families. While Zeldathon Hope was raising over $250,000 for charity, the marathon was also raising an interesting question: are video […]

Lauren Ann Arkens received a lung transplant in December 2015 after years of struggling with the effects of cystic fibrosis. She draws support from a strong community of friends and family members including her husband, Tyler. We asked Lauren and Tyler for their perspectives on fundraising and being there for the people you love. How […]

Susan “Suz” Welch had been living with severe arthritis for years when falls related to the condition caused her spinal cord to collapse in 2014. She is paralyzed from the waist down and continues to pursue rehabilitation to improve her mobility and maintain her independence. Suz explains how wheelchair photography and adaptive technology have had […]

Every year, the Transplant Games provides an opportunity for transplant recipients and donors to come together to celebrate the gift of life. This year’s Games were held in Cleveland, Ohio from Friday, June 10 to Wednesday, June 15. The Games included over 6,000 registered participants. We interviewed a few HelpHOPELive families who attended and competed […]

Husband and father Martin Vece has served the community for decades as a performer and teacher. We asked Marty how his wife and three daughters help him to cope with the emotional, physical and financial challenges of life on the transplant waiting list. In November of 2014, I was informed by my doctors at UCLA […]