My little sister Alison is getting married this fall. I am so excited for her and proud of the woman she has become. Like most sisters, we can spend hours chatting and giggling like little school girls. She is one of my best friends and one of the best people I know. The man she is marrying compliments her in every way and has a heart of gold. I already love him as a brother. Together, they will go far, as they have already faced more in their first 5 years than most couples face in a lifetime. This is their story and just the beginning of their life together. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope their love inspires you as much as it does me.


Alison met Jamie in April of 2010. Jamie has a beautiful daughter named Chyanne, who was just 2 when Alison met them. Jamie has been a single father, raising Chyanne with the help of his mother and grandmother, since Chyanne was born. As you can imagine, being a single father is hard enough. In September of 2010, just 5 months after Alison and Jamie started dating, Jamie was diagnosed with Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). A progressive form of kidney disease. Unfortunately, Jamie was already in end state kidney failure. This kind of kidney failure is permanent and a kidney transplant is Jamies only option. Over the years their love has grown, yet Jamie has struggled with infections, countless doctor visits, testing and dialysis 4-5 days a week. He has now been on UAB's transplant list for 4 years and Vanderbilt's for 3 and still has many years to go. Knowing this, my sister decided to make one of the most selfless acts I know, she decided to undergo testing to see if she could possibly donate one of her kidneys to Jamie. After almost a year of testing, Alison just received the news that she is not only a match, but there is a good probability that Jamie’s body will accept the transplant. It is scheduled for this July (next month), just 3 months before their wedding. I’m sure you know how exciting and stressful wedding planning can be, especially just a few months out, but that all takes a back seat with everything else they are about to experience. The surgery is going to be at Vanderbilt University Hospital, which is a little over a 3 hour commute from where they currently live in Birmingham, Alabama. They will have insurance deductibles, co-pays, pre-transplant evaluations and testing, the surgery itself, follow up care, as well as any additional hospital stays if there are complications. This surgery also comes with 4-6 weeks of recovery time, additional follow up doctor visits, anti-rejection medications and other prescriptions (which can easily exceed $2,500 per month), transportation, child care for Chyanne, and lodging for before and after surgery including lodging and meals for family. Jamie and Alison both have to have their own “care taker” for recovery time, which will be a parent, but that also means our family will have to take time off of work to be there caring for them.
Both Jamie and Alison are very blessed to have jobs they are passionate about. Alison works as a teacher’s aide during the school year for a special education class, she has started her own tutoring business for children with dyslexia, as well as teaching therapeutic riding lessons for individuals with special physical, cognitive and emotional needs. Her passion is helping others as you can tell by what she does daily and what she is about to do for the love of her life. Jamie is also a hard worker despite everything he has been through. He recently completed farrier school and is now starting to build his own business as a horse farrier. He has a love for the rodeo and spends any spare time he has teaching Chyanne the tools of the trade.  As you can see, they both have jobs which require physical labor and will make returning to work quickly a challenge.


The reason for this page is to raise enough donations to help Alison and Jamie afford this costly procedure, any additional medical expenses and time away from work. The last thing they need as newlyweds is the burden of medical bills, which could impact them and their marriage for the rest of their lives. And let’s not forget about this beautiful little girl, Chyanne, who needs healthy parents.


Alison and Jamie are hardworking people who would never ask for help and because of that, I am! Anything you can give, even the smallest donation, will help them through this process and one step closer to being a family. I am truly grateful for anyone taking the time to read this and cannot thank you enough for your thoughts, prayers, and any donations. Thank you and God Bless.