Andrea Petkau is undergoing a life-saving kidney transplant this October 2019, following a rapid decline in her kidney function over the last few years. You would hardly know Andrea battles polycystic kidney disease (a genetic condition) on a daily basis because of her eagerness to maintain as normal of a life for herself and her family as possible. In reality, the quality of her life has been undeniably impacted by this disease. She battles extremely low energy levels and ongoing fatigue due to the "dirty" blood her under-functioning kidney cycles through her body. Currently, she provides dialysis treatment to herself every night for 8 hours, just to keep symptoms at bay. The emotional impact of both battling this disease and anticipating a life-changing surgery (organ donation) has been weighing heavily.
Andrea undergoes organ donation surgery in October, after a miraculous donation match through her father in law Terry. She will be hospitalized for 1-2 weeks and without complications will be able to recover from home for 6-8 weeks with daily visits to the kidney clinic. She will be adjusting to taking 30 pills every day to prevent "rejection" of her new kidney.
A significant challenge during this period of organ donation and recovery surrounds the financial impact on her family. Andrea will be off work from her full-time job for minimum 8 weeks, which means a substantial loss of income for her family. Once she is able to recover from home, she will still be required to drive from Langley into the kidney clinic at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver daily for a period of time. Gas often climbs to $1.60/L out here on the West coast. Parking is $15 a day. These are significant costs that are difficult to figure out while you are recovering from a major surgery, and adjusting to a new kidney.
This message is to encourage you to consider making a donation to Andrea and her family (husband Tyler Petkau and 2 year old son Felix Petkau), to help ease the financial burden of her kidney transplant recovery. Living with polycystic kidney disease has been incredibly difficult. Undergoing surgery to receive a new kidney will be very difficult. Anticipating the overwhelming stress of managing financial hardship during her recovery is not something that should be added to her recovery process.
Andrea undergoes organ donation surgery in October, after a miraculous donation match through her father in law Terry. She will be hospitalized for 1-2 weeks and without complications will be able to recover from home for 6-8 weeks with daily visits to the kidney clinic. She will be adjusting to taking 30 pills every day to prevent "rejection" of her new kidney.
A significant challenge during this period of organ donation and recovery surrounds the financial impact on her family. Andrea will be off work from her full-time job for minimum 8 weeks, which means a substantial loss of income for her family. Once she is able to recover from home, she will still be required to drive from Langley into the kidney clinic at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver daily for a period of time. Gas often climbs to $1.60/L out here on the West coast. Parking is $15 a day. These are significant costs that are difficult to figure out while you are recovering from a major surgery, and adjusting to a new kidney.
This message is to encourage you to consider making a donation to Andrea and her family (husband Tyler Petkau and 2 year old son Felix Petkau), to help ease the financial burden of her kidney transplant recovery. Living with polycystic kidney disease has been incredibly difficult. Undergoing surgery to receive a new kidney will be very difficult. Anticipating the overwhelming stress of managing financial hardship during her recovery is not something that should be added to her recovery process.
Organizer and beneficiary
Tyler Petkau
Beneficiary