I Want the Best Life for Her
Alexandria has been given a second chance at life after her father offered to become her kidney donor following a successful compatibility test. James West, who had moved to the Dominican Republic due to the high cost of living in LA, returned to the United States early last year once news of Alexandria’s condition reached him. He had been assisting with her care and saving to cover unforeseen expenses.
After suffering acute kidney failure in January of 2017, Alexandria was rushed to the hospital where doctors said she had lost 90% of her kidney function and would require an immediate transplant or dialysis. With an average wait time of five to ten years for a compatible donor, and other family members ruled out through testing, dialysis was the only option. Alexandria began treatment, then moved to DC soon after for a new job. Eventually, the routine took a toll on her, and her condition worsened.
West, who had not been a part of the initial compatibility testing, asked that the doctors carry out the necessary blood work to see if he was a match. Alexandria was contemplating putting an end to her treatment when he received positive results and requested to be her living donor. They underwent surgery on July 24, 2018, at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
West had recently launched this GoFundMe campaign to gather assistance for expenses not covered by insurance, including the hospital stay and aftercare. Alexandria’s anti-rejection medications will cost thousands per year for the rest of her life, and neither father or daughter are able to work during the recovery period, which is expected to last several weeks.
