Hi, my name is Dan Niklauski. Just a few weeks ago, my older brother Alex had been stuck in bed for days with what everyone thought was a fever. Then, in the middle of the night, he fainted and he to be rushed to the emergency room at 2 AM.

It turned out he was experiencing total kidney failure.

Alex was born April 24th, 1987, in Harrowgate, Philadelphia, where he grew up listening to metal and rap and playing basketball in the alleys. He'd go on to graduate from Springfield High School in Delaware County in 2005. He is 39 years old.

Since that awful night, every day has become a test of resilience for Alex. He has been diagnosed with end stage renal failure, or Stage 5 chronic kidney disease. His life now revolves around dialysis four times a week, hours at a time, with dialysis access protruding from his chest and arms even when he is at home trying to keep his mind off how horrifying all of this is.

He used to love counting assists and blocks during Sixers games, now he has to count out a dozen prescription medications each morning and night.

Yet, in the face of it all, he has not spoken to being scared or petrified. He worries, certainly, and more than I can know, but he is determined to keep going day by day.

Still, this disease has completely upended his life. His ability to work and support himself has been stripped from him, and with the loss of employment came the loss of his health insurance. At the same time, the bills, appointments, prescription, costs of transportation and daily expenses seem to have no end in sight.

Our parents, Ann (LF '81) and Dennis (NC '76) are a retired R.N and Teamster UPS driver. They have spent their lives working hard, caring for others, and showing up for their family. Now, on behalf of them, I am asking for your help to cover the medical expenses for their son as he fights this disease with everything he, and we, have.

Funds raised will go toward Alex's medical expenses, dialysis-related costs, prescriptions, transportation to treatment, insurance and coverage gaps, and basic living expenses while he is unable to work.

Any donation, share, prayer, or message of support means more than we can say. Thank you for helping Alex get through this challenging time and giving him a better chance at stability, treatment, and healing.