The Story:

Some people talk about love. Shannon and I live it every single day.

Shannon is my husband, my partner, and honestly one of the most important people in my world. When we found out his kidneys were failing and that he needed a transplant, we did not hesitate for long. After lots of testing, we learned I was a match. So I made the decision that felt like the only decision: I am donating my kidney to Shannon.

This is not a sad story. This is a love story. But it is also a real one, and we could use some help getting through it.

Here is what recovery looks like for us. After surgery, I will be out of work and limited in what I can do physically for 6 to 8 weeks. Shannon’s recovery is longer term. His body will need time to accept the new kidney, which means ongoing anti-rejection medications, consistent follow up appointments, and close monitoring for months ahead. We will also need in-home care and support during the early weeks when neither of us will be in a position to fully care for ourselves, plus travel back and forth to medical appointments that do not stop once we leave the hospital.

We also have access to specialized treatments that could significantly support both of our recoveries. We are grateful for that option. We are a little less grateful that our insurance does not cover them. That out of pocket cost is real, and it adds up on top of everything else.

We are grateful to have family from far away and close by who will be showing up for us in so many ways. But the financial reality does not pause just because life gets hard. Shannon’s surgery alone is estimated at $2,400 and mine at $6,000, and that is just the surgeries themselves. On top of that, we will both be out of work during recovery, Shannon’s already been on disability since October last year and I’ll start mine after the surgery, and the everyday bills, groceries, utilities, and all the things that keep a household running, they do not stop.

Asking for help does not come easy for us. But here we are, humbly putting this out into the world and trusting that the people who can help, will.

Every contribution, no matter the size, means we can focus on healing instead of stressing about how we are going to keep the lights on. It means Shannon gets to focus on getting stronger. It means I get to focus on taking care of us both.

If you can give, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If you cannot, sharing this with someone who might goes just as far.

We are going to be okay. We just do not want to do it alone.

To be this close of a match to my husband is already a miracle. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus and for helping us properly steward this gift. You are our blessing.

With so much love and gratitude,

Dani & Shannon