Gayle's Battle--Liver and Kidney Transplant Needed

Help Gayle Fight for Her Life—And Survive the Road to Liver and Kidney Transplant

Hi, I’m Gayle Buske, and I need your help.

I’ve spent my life fighting—not just for myself, but for my family. I’ve built a career I love, raised an incredible daughter, and refused to let the genetic time bomb of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) dictate my future. But now, at 54, the disease has caught up with me.

My kidneys are failing—completely. Any day now, I’ll start dialysis, and the disease has attacked my liver, too. My best shot at survival is a double kidney and liver transplant. My mother, Lois McDaniel (Grandma Yaya), was one of the first people to receive this exact transplant, and because of it, she’s still here 27 years later. Now, it’s my turn to fight for that same chance.

The road to transplant is brutal—travel, mounting medical expenses, and time away from work are just the beginning. I’ve been approved for FMLA, but despite that, I still risk losing my job. That means I could lose my income and health insurance at the very moment I need them most.

We’re doing everything possible to cut costs, including selling our home and temporarily downsizing to an RV. But even with these sacrifices, the financial burden is overwhelming. I’m asking for help to cover medical expenses, travel for transplant evaluations, and the everyday costs of staying afloat during this fight for my life.

PKD runs deep in my family. My grandfather passed from it at just 42. My mother survived because of a transplant at 50. And now, my daughter Madison, at 30, faces the same battle ahead. I want to show her—and the world—that this disease does not define us.

Your support—whether through donations or simply sharing this campaign—means everything. It helps me get to my transplant, stay healthy, and continue fighting for the future.

Thank you for standing with me.

#PKDWarrior #DoubleTransplantJourney #HelpGayleFight #BeyondPKD #GetUpAndGiveItHell