Help Evan Rafferty Find a Kidney & Get Through Transplant Recovery

My name is Michelle, and I’m organizing this fundraiser for my brother, Evan Rafferty, and his family as he faces Stage 4 kidney disease and prepares for a kidney transplant.

Evan is the husband of Kristina and a devoted dad to their wonderful 9-year-old son, Sebastian — “Bash". He is also the primary provider for their household.

Their family has already faced more than its share of serious health challenges. Kristina has been living with multiple sclerosis since 2014 and was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. Now, as Evan’s kidney disease has progressed, their family is facing another major medical journey.

Family and community have always been a huge part of Evan’s life. Over the years, he has spent countless hours coaching local kids — including West Islip youth soccer, West Islip youth basketball, CYO youth basketball, and West Islip Little League baseball.

Coaching is something Evan truly loves, especially because it has given him the chance to share those experiences with Bash. Whether he is on a soccer field, basketball court, or in a baseball dugout, he has spent years showing up for kids and families in his community.

Now, we are hoping that same community — along with family, friends, and people who may never have met Evan — will help us show up for him.

Evan Needs a Kidney

Evan is currently searching for a living kidney donor

A donor does not necessarily have to be a direct match for Evan. Through a kidney paired-donation or “swap” program, someone who is willing to donate but is not compatible with Evan may still be able to help him receive a compatible kidney.

Finding a living donor could give Evan the opportunity for a healthier future and more years doing what matters most to him —being there for Kristina, watching Bash grow up, and hopefully getting back to the sidelines coaching again.

We will be sharing Evan’s transplant center’s official living-donor information separately so that anyone interested in learning about donation can contact the transplant team directly and confidentially.

Why We Are Raising $40,000

A kidney transplant will require Evan to be unable to work for approximately three months while he undergoes surgery and recovers.

As the primary provider for his family, that loss of income will have a significant impact at the exact time they need to focus on Evan’s health and recovery.

Evan has been told to anticipate approximately:

$8,000 in surgery-related costs

$1,500 in medication costs

*$9,500 in known transplant-related medical expenses

The remainder of the $40,000 fundraising goal will help Evan and Kristina keep their household running during the approximately three months Evan is unable to work.

Funds will help with:

* Rent and household expenses

* Utilities

* Groceries

* Insurance and regular monthly bills

* Transportation to medical appointments

* Parking and other transplant-related travel expenses

* Follow-up care and recovery expenses

* Unexpected costs that arise during Evan’s transplant and recovery

Our goal is not to account for every future expense down to the dollar. It is simply to give this family enough breathing room to concentrate on getting Evan through surgery and safely through recovery without also worrying about how they will keep their household afloat.

How You Can Help

There are three incredibly meaningful ways to help Evan and his family:

Donate. Any amount will help support the family through Evan’s transplant and recovery.

Share. Even if you are unable to donate, sharing Evan’s story could put it in front of someone who can help.

Consider living kidney donation. You do not necessarily need to be Evan’s blood type or a direct match to potentially help him through a paired kidney exchange program.

We know that not everyone is in a position to donate money or a kidney. Simply sharing Evan’s story with your family, friends, coworkers, teammates, and community means more than you know.

Evan has spent years showing up for the people around him. Now we are asking for a little help showing up for Evan, Kristina, and Bash during one of the most difficult chapters their family has faced.

They have a long road ahead, but they are facing it together and with hope.

Thank you for helping us work toward the thing we want most:

Finding Evan a kidney and getting him home healthy to his family.