Support Connor's Kidney Transplant Journey

Marlena Strasser is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hi,

My name is Connor and I was born with one functioning kidney working at only 50%. The doctors didn't have any clue why, and my family had no preparation time as I spent the first years of my life in and out of the Children's Hospital NICU, over 300 times before my second birthday. On my second birthday I received an anonymous donation, and it was the best birthday gift ever, a good match! The next few years were filled with daily physical and speech therapy appointments and hour-long drives down to my kidney doctors three times a week.

My doctor since birth had seen me through the frequent ups and downs, so he nominated me for a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This organization grants wishes for kids who have terminal or critical life-threatening illnesses. When I was more medically stable at 5 years old, my wish was granted and I got the chance to operate large construction equipment (since I loved big machines), and I got to go down to Disney World in Florida. There my family and I visited the ‘Give Kids the World Village’ where we had lots of laughter and unforgettable memories. It was a break from “the real world” and all my medical issues. This was the first family trip we were able to take and it was the best trip I could've asked for, they are some of my favorite memories to this day.

Then when I was 12, in the midst of middle school, I was diagnosed with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. With my already compromised and fragile immune system, this was a devastating blow to my health and the hope I had for a normal future. My local high school organized a tshirt fundraiser for me, and my friends and classmates came to visit me while I was stuck in the hospital. I'm happy to say that against all odds, after almost a year of brutal chemotherapy and endless hospital stays, I miraculously beat that cancer and am now considered in remission.

Despite all that the chemotherapy took from me, I was in good spirits; even after learning I would end up needing two separate heart surgeries when I was 16 and 17 years old. This was to correct some damage to my heart valves and the functioning of my heart; and at this point, it felt like just one more thing to do before I graduated high school. A third chest surgery was underway when I was 18 and then I finally felt done with my health concerns.

Unfortunately the strain from the chemo, heart surgeries, and simply time (my first kidney lasted 19 years) wore down my kidney function in the fall of 2023. Flash forward to today, and I am in need of another kidney transplant at 21 years old. I have been doing hemodialysis three days a week for the past year and a half, and am finally on the national kidney transplant list. This is a long grueling process but sadly the only way to get healthier and start living the life I’ve always wanted.

Although I’m on the transplant list now, finding a match that is best for me isn’t easy. Living donors offer the best chances of success, but only about one of every three donations come from selfless living donors. While insurance covers some medical expenses of mine, pre-transplant testing, traveling for appointments, time off work for my caregivers, and post-transplant recovery is not covered. Usually new transplant recipients are in the hospital for one week but require 24/7 care for a month until fully healed and able to care for themselves. These many financial and situational burdens severely limit my ability to continue with the donation process even though I need it to live.

I am hoping to raise money to help pay for the transplant when I get a match. My whole life has centered around my health issues - there have been thousands of hospital stays, lab tests, medication adjustments, and so much stress to my life and my family's. After this new kidney, I want to apply to college and get a place of my own. This money would help me on the path to actually start living my life fully. I am so grateful for any help along this journey (spreading the word, considering becoming a donor, making a financial contribution) and for the community's heartfelt support. Thank you for reading my story. Below are some helpful links related to transplants and organ donation.