WOW!!! The last couple of weeks have been incredible. I have been blessed by the most generous, gracious and giving friends a person could ever dream of having. There are also many strangers who can be described the same. It has been several weeks since I posted a blog update, so I am behind with sharing information. About a month ago, I signed up with HelpHOPELive, which is a nonprofit organization that will manage all funds collected through fundraising. Future and past fundraising events include the "Urine My Heart" Golf Tournament, 31 Parties, Premier Jewelry Party, Avon, Oragami Owl, You Design Art and selling kidney pins. Also, I have completed all pre-transplant medical tests and doctor's appointments. This journey is not always easy, but the support of family and friends is beyond anything I could have ever imagined.
Many people have been very generous with supporting fundraising events or making donations. As I mentioned, HelpHOPELIVE will manage my funds. HelpHOPELive is an organization outside of Philadelphia and provides fantastic support. I am assigned a Patient Services Coordinator. Her name is Amy and she is awesome. HelpHOPELive assists of course with managing the funds and awards a $1000 grant for the first $10,000 raised and again when $20,000 has been raised. Amy assists by producing flyers for events, providing ideas for fundraising and answering any questions I might have for her. HelpHOPELive also provides a patient page. To see my page, go to www.HelpHOPELive.org, click on find a patient, key in my first and last name and then click on kidney for type of transplant. You should then be on my page. Please take time to read the appeal letter from Ronnie. Also, some people have asked how they can make a personal donation. HelpHOPELive actually receives personal donations on my behalf. You can mail a check to them or make an online payment. Their address is on the website. Donations can also be sent to me with checks made payable to HelpHOPELive. Currently I send funds weekly. I can not thank everyone enough who has helped to make our fundraising events very successful.
We are very busy with fundraising events. I am amazed at how people have responded to the many events we have had thus far. As I have included in previous blog posts, my co-worker, Tiffany Barber signed up to be a 31 Gifts Consultant in order to fundraise for me. We have had phenomenal parties and Tiffany has raised $1,175.00! This is an incredible amount in just 5 parties! She is a great sales representative and sales have been fantastic. Thanks to everyone who has hosted a party or made a purchase. Earlier this month we had a party in Goldsboro, hosted by my sisters Janet Owle and Joan Howell. Over 50 people attended the party and bought over $2,200 of 31 products. It was great to see many, many friends who I had not seen in years and make new friends as well. Four more 31 parties are currently being hosted by Janet Groberski, Glenda Bowen, Kimberly Barefoot, and Tricia Allen through April 13. All parties are online through Facebook. If you would like to make a purchase, please let me know and I will assist you with contacting a hostess. ( An interesting side-bar is that two of the hostesses are special friends I met through the death of my niece Christy Murray. Christy died unexpectedly on Valentines Day, 2012 at the age of 37. Thanks so much to Kimberly Lee Barefoot of South Carolina and Tricia Allen of Raleigh for hosting parties. I know Christy would be so pleased with the friendships I have developed). Tiffany vows to continue to fundraise until I have the transplant. Please consider having a party. Online parties are super easy and a great way to get awesome products (for free or at an discount) as well assist my donor and me with out of pocket expenses for the transplant.
On May 2, we will have the "Urine My Heart" Golf Tournament at Lane Tree Country Club in Goldsboro. We are looking forward to a very successful day. Many friends are sponsoring holes for $50 or $100, which we greatly appreciate. I have some of the most generous, giving friends in the world. Even people we do not know have sponsored holes due to Ronnie's business connections. Ronnie has many contacts including ARMAC who will be providing signs for the tournament. If you are interested in sponsoring a hole, please send your sponsorship to Ronnie and me by April 15. We will be giving ARMAC names for signs at that time. Also, we would like to for all golf teams to pay in advance if at all possible. Due to a phenomenal response for golfers wanting to participate in the tournament, we have had to tell some people that we met the maximum amount of golfers for the day. If by chance you told us you were going to put in a team, but due to circumstance you are not, please let us know so that we can contact those who wanted to participate as well. There are many companies providing items for the silent auction and we would love to have more if you would like to donate. Ronnie and I are very excited about the items being donated. I think those attending the golf tournament will be very interested in making bids at the tournament. Many friends are volunteering their time at the golf tournament. We would like to provide a t-shirt for volunteers to wear at the tournament. If you have not received a message from my daughter Ashley about your size, please contact me by Friday evening with information about what size t-shirt you wear. If you need a form for hole sponsorship, volunteering or a golf team please email me at Carolinakidney@gmail.com.
Thanks to Kathryn West, a friend from church and sales consultant for Premier Jewelry who donated $175 from her commission after a party on March 8. Once again, my friends amaze me. I greatly appreciate everyone who made purchases from the party and helped it to be a success. Teresa Washak is having an online party until April 8 if anyone is interested in buying Premier Jewelry. Kathryn will donate a portion of the commission from this party as well. Also, please let Kathryn know if you are interested in hosting a party in your home or online. Once again, super easy and a great way to fundraise and earn gorgeous jewelry for yourself.
Kathy Coor, a friend in Goldsboro that I have known for many years sells Avon. She also decided to fundraise for me and donated all of her commission from two campaigns. $250 is being sent to the account at HelpHOPELive. You just can not imagine the number of times I have cried due to the generosity of friends.
Another co-worker, Theresa Howard is hosting an online Origami Owl Jewelry fundraising party. Theresa's mother, Janet Salatino lives in Florida and is a sales consultant for Orgami Owl. Janet is donating a portion of the commission from the party as well. This party lasts until April 12. You can shop online at www.janetsalatino.origamiowl.com/parties/TheresaHoward265285/collections.ashx. God has placed so many awesome people in my life and I greatly appreciate Theresa and Janet.
No doubt fundraising efforts have been very successful and beyond anything I ever imagined. So many people have diligently worked hard to help the donor and myself.
As of March 17, I completed all pre-transplant appointments. Unfortunately, I continue to wait to hear from UNC about being placed on the transplant list. I am trying to be patient, but it is SO DIFFICULT. Once placed on the transplant list at UNC, I am also placed on the National Registry known as UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing). The average wait for an kidney transplant in North Carolina is 5 years. Fortunately when placed on the transplant list, we can begin the process of choosing a living donor. A living donor also has to go through countless tests and appointments as I have for the past 5 months. It is important to have a living donor in place, so when the time arrives that I need a transplant, we will be ready. Many people contacted UNC about being a donor. To say I am overwhelmed by your selflessness is an understatement. Several people were unable to proceed beyond the initial interview due to health conditions. On the other hand, there are some individuals who met criteria and one will be selected to be my living donor. When I think about it..... it is amazing to think that anyone would be so generous... gracious.... and giving.
I am ready to travel in the next phase of this journey and greatly appreciate your prayers. Thanks so much for your support.
Kathy Coor, a friend in Goldsboro that I have known for many years sells Avon. She also decided to fundraise for me and donated all of her commission from two campaigns. $250 is being sent to the account at HelpHOPELive. You just can not imagine the number of times I have cried due to the generosity of friends.
Another co-worker, Theresa Howard is hosting an online Origami Owl Jewelry fundraising party. Theresa's mother, Janet Salatino lives in Florida and is a sales consultant for Orgami Owl. Janet is donating a portion of the commission from the party as well. This party lasts until April 12. You can shop online at www.janetsalatino.origamiowl.com/parties/TheresaHoward265285/collections.ashx. God has placed so many awesome people in my life and I greatly appreciate Theresa and Janet.
No doubt fundraising efforts have been very successful and beyond anything I ever imagined. So many people have diligently worked hard to help the donor and myself.
As of March 17, I completed all pre-transplant appointments. Unfortunately, I continue to wait to hear from UNC about being placed on the transplant list. I am trying to be patient, but it is SO DIFFICULT. Once placed on the transplant list at UNC, I am also placed on the National Registry known as UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing). The average wait for an kidney transplant in North Carolina is 5 years. Fortunately when placed on the transplant list, we can begin the process of choosing a living donor. A living donor also has to go through countless tests and appointments as I have for the past 5 months. It is important to have a living donor in place, so when the time arrives that I need a transplant, we will be ready. Many people contacted UNC about being a donor. To say I am overwhelmed by your selflessness is an understatement. Several people were unable to proceed beyond the initial interview due to health conditions. On the other hand, there are some individuals who met criteria and one will be selected to be my living donor. When I think about it..... it is amazing to think that anyone would be so generous... gracious.... and giving.
I am ready to travel in the next phase of this journey and greatly appreciate your prayers. Thanks so much for your support.
