Bryce's Kidney Transplant Fund

You may or may not know this about our son Bryce. He has lived ALL of his life with only one kidney. He was just 3 months old when he was admitted to Strong Hospital with a life threatening fever/infection. The team of Docs knew there was an infection, but where & why were yet to be diagnosed since it was not evident in the usual places. It took several hours of test after test but they finally found the culprit! Bryce had a UTI, but WHY? Finally a diagnosis & prognosis is made… Bryce had what is called a “dysplastic kidney”. In layman’s terms: one of his kidneys was non-functioning since birth. This undeveloped kidney was the cause of the infection. The dysplastic kidney MUST be removed, but first he would need to be 100% healthy to undergo surgery AND his “good/healthy” kidney would need to grow a bit more. He remained on low dose antibiotics to minimize the risk of repeat infection which could potentially damage the only functioning kidney he had until he was given clearance for surgery from his urologist. His right kidney was removed when he was 9 months old to prevent a relapse of a severe infection that could damage other organs and even kill him. When a person lives with only one functioning kidney, they call this "Solitary Kidney" and in many cases, people can live their entire lives without issue with only one kidney. However, this is NOT the case for Bryce, he is NOT one of the lucky ones!!

Bryce was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease just a few weeks before his 30th birthday in 2014. This means that his kidney function had severely decreased and that it was just a matter of time before his remaining kidney would stop working enough to clean his blood adequately. This past December, right after Christmas, his kidney function dropped well below 7% and he was becoming increasingly ill. Bryce was admitted to Strong Memorial Hospital for emergency dialysis. During his week long stay over the New Year, he had a catheter placed in his chest to start immediate hemodialysis treatments. He also had a peritoneal dialysis catheter placed in his abdomen, as it was our hope that he could eventually do at home treatments via this method. Later it was determined that peritoneal dialysis would not be an option so he had another surgery to have a fistula placed in his left arm. It was made clear by the doctors at this time that Bryce's life as he knew it would be changing forever. He would now require dialysis treatments 3 times a week forever, or until he receives a kidney transplant. Transplant is the goal!


1 in 9 Americans suffer from kidney disease and currently there are approximately 99,000 individuals waiting for a donor. Bryce is 1 of 99,000 people awaiting a life saving transplant. Fortunately he is young, and relatively healthy aside from his kidney disease. Doctors state that he is an excellent candidate! Our son has always lived a positive and selfless life, dedicating his time to helping others. As a teenager he began by volunteering with our local fire dept & ambulance corps. Loving every minute of time he could spend helping the people of his community he was constantly increasing his knowledge & skills. In his early 20’s he decided to become a Paramedic; and since more advanced knowledge & training were needed to help the critically injured, he didn’t stop until he had earned his critical care credentials too. He continued his volunteer work on the side. Throughout his career thus far, in addition to his Paramedic work, he would tell you how fortunate he was, to have had the opportunity to help a vast area of communities for years when his career path took him on his journey working with Mercy Flight Central & U of R Donor Recovery Program. Bryce also gets a lot of enjoyment these days working with his part-time business, Ambit Energy. Yet another way he helps people and he's met so many people through this venture that he now considers family.

Now he’s the one needing help!

Bryce has had friends as well as his sisters offer to go through testing to determine if they were a possible match, results are pending. Having a "Living Donor" is the best possible donor, as these organs last 2 to 3 times longer than a "Deceased Donor" organ.

**If you would like to see if you could be a match; click on the link below and information is available in the "Living Kidney Donation" section at the bottom of the page.**

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/surgery/transplant/procedures/kidney-transplant.aspx


So where is he now in the process?
Bryce is in the final stage of the evaluation process to be listed for transplant. He would then be eligible to accept a donor, should a living donor match or a deceased donor become available. The average wait time for a deceased donor kidney is 2-5 years, however a living donor transplant can take place almost immediately. Bryce continues to frequently visit with doctors as they keep a close eye on his health. He is trying to stay positive but realizes the gravity of the challenges ahead. 

Why are we fundraising? 
Bryce has health insurance, but there are numerous expenses that he will endure before and after the surgery; many of which his insurance will not cover. Also, due to the strict dialysis regimen each week, it has severely limited Bryce's ability to make even close to his normal wage. We calculate that since being on dialysis, Bryce loses almost $1000 per month in income that he can no longer make up for due to dialysis. We expect this burden will only continue to grow on his path to a successful transplant and recovery.

Here are some of the expected costs pre/post surgery:
* Pre-transplant evaluations and testing
* Extensive dental work (required for clearance - recently quoted $5,000+)
* The surgery itself (including surgeons and operating staff fees and anesthesia)
* Time spent in ICU 
* Post-Op physical therapy and rehab
* Anti-rejection medications (mandatory for the rest of his life totaling up to $6100/month)
* Supplemental Insurance - Medicare Part B to cover hospital costs and medications
* Lost wages (out of work 3-12 months)
* Numerous post-op doctors visits and ongoing treatment at Strong Memorial.(3 per week first month alone, then 2 per week for the following 2 months)

*** These expenses increase even more if Bryce is able to find a living donor, like we hope he can, as he wants to ensure he can cover their related expenses as well.

Transplantliving.org has estimated the total costs per person for a kidney transplant can add up to over $260,000!

Asking friends and family to donate money is something that would be very difficult for Bryce, since he's not one to ever ask for help. It too, is difficult for us as well, but due to his current loss in wages & financial impact yet to come; we have come to resolve that the burden & stress of it all is more than he/we can bear ourselves. He truly struggles being in this position because he's usually the one helping and giving to others. 

Please help Bryce to receive the very best care possible. The transplant process is long, complicated, and costly with escalating physician visits, procedures and labs leading up to the transplant and the overwhelming care post-transplant. Your donation can help diminish the weight of financial burdens and really help him focus on a healthy recovery and life. You can make a big difference with a large or small donation. Our family is eternally thankful for your love and support. 

With all our love and thanks,

Bill & Mariette Rowles 

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