Help Glen with dental work and transplant
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Thank you for taking the time to view this page. Please take a few minutes to read Glen's story below, and I encourage you to please help consider donating and share this story to help get it out there during his time of need.
As many of you know, Glen Derler was hospitalized at such a young age due to some serious health concerns. He was just shy of 2 years old when the Dr.s diagnosed him with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. (Hemolytic–uremic syndrome (HUS) is a group of blood disorders characterized by low red blood cells, acute kidney failure, and low platelets caused by E-Coli which can come from eating tainted meat) As he was going through this testing and diagnosing, nearly all of his organs became very weak and severely damaged. At this time the hospital was doing what they could to just keep him alive, but the syndrome became so aggressive that at one point Glen stopped breathing and his heart stopped. Thank God that the Dr.s were able to get him breathing again and stabilized but the syndrome had severely permanently damaged some of his organs.
During this time of recovery for Glen, he was put on several medications. One of the medications that he needed to live and keep him alive was destroying his teeth and gums, but when his adult teeth grew in they were deformed and discolored. At this point he didn't have many problems with them other than that, but during eight grade he ended up going on dialysis from the severe damage to his kidneys. At this point he then needed to take more medication to help with his kidney failure and it was destroying his adult teeth and gums, but it was helping him stay alive.
At this point in his life his teeth were really starting to become a problem. His parents took him to the dentist to see what they were able to do for him and found out that he needed 6 hours worth of surgery on his gums and teeth to make sure all gum disease and cavities were taken care of. He also was able to get veneers to help the teeth look much better.
After being on dialysis for almost 5 years Glen and just shy of his 18th birthday, the hospital called him to say they had finally found a match for his transplant. Not just any match but a perfect match! This is such a rare thing to happen to actually get a perfect match and it was at this point thing were finally starting to look up for Glen.
As of today Glen is now back on Dialysis due to kidney failure once again. He did everything he could to keep his body healthy and did everything the Dr.s told him to do but unfortunately his body has yet again failed him. This time around the Dr.s are very positive that he is a good candidate for both kidney and pancreas transplant. Being able to get both transplants is the best thing he can get, but with that being said he also has to get some other medical issues taking care of before they will do the surgery. What the Dr. is saying is that his teeth and gums need to be addressed before surgery. Glen has multiple cavities and will need nine crowns. The enamel on his teeth are very bad and he will also need to have gum treatment as well due to his medication destroying his teeth.
Unfortunately Glen is not able to go anywhere right now due to COVID-19 other than the hospital for treatment because he can be susceptible to catching anything and everything that will come his way. He can't take any chances of getting sick so he had no choice but to lose his job. When he lost his job he also lost his health care benefits. He has been working hard to try and see what they can do but so far he has got no help. In order for him to keep receiving dialysis and stay on the transplant list he now has to pay the full premium amount each month or he will not be able to get the medical help he needs to save his life. At this point The Kidney Foundation has been very generous and has paid for the next three months of Glen's heath care insurance because he was days away from being cut off from having any insurance at all.
I thank you so much for taking the time to read Glen's story. Please share this page and if possible donate. Anything and everything will be such a big help in this process that Glen has to go through. Thank you all so much!!!
As many of you know, Glen Derler was hospitalized at such a young age due to some serious health concerns. He was just shy of 2 years old when the Dr.s diagnosed him with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. (Hemolytic–uremic syndrome (HUS) is a group of blood disorders characterized by low red blood cells, acute kidney failure, and low platelets caused by E-Coli which can come from eating tainted meat) As he was going through this testing and diagnosing, nearly all of his organs became very weak and severely damaged. At this time the hospital was doing what they could to just keep him alive, but the syndrome became so aggressive that at one point Glen stopped breathing and his heart stopped. Thank God that the Dr.s were able to get him breathing again and stabilized but the syndrome had severely permanently damaged some of his organs.
During this time of recovery for Glen, he was put on several medications. One of the medications that he needed to live and keep him alive was destroying his teeth and gums, but when his adult teeth grew in they were deformed and discolored. At this point he didn't have many problems with them other than that, but during eight grade he ended up going on dialysis from the severe damage to his kidneys. At this point he then needed to take more medication to help with his kidney failure and it was destroying his adult teeth and gums, but it was helping him stay alive.
At this point in his life his teeth were really starting to become a problem. His parents took him to the dentist to see what they were able to do for him and found out that he needed 6 hours worth of surgery on his gums and teeth to make sure all gum disease and cavities were taken care of. He also was able to get veneers to help the teeth look much better.
After being on dialysis for almost 5 years Glen and just shy of his 18th birthday, the hospital called him to say they had finally found a match for his transplant. Not just any match but a perfect match! This is such a rare thing to happen to actually get a perfect match and it was at this point thing were finally starting to look up for Glen.
As of today Glen is now back on Dialysis due to kidney failure once again. He did everything he could to keep his body healthy and did everything the Dr.s told him to do but unfortunately his body has yet again failed him. This time around the Dr.s are very positive that he is a good candidate for both kidney and pancreas transplant. Being able to get both transplants is the best thing he can get, but with that being said he also has to get some other medical issues taking care of before they will do the surgery. What the Dr. is saying is that his teeth and gums need to be addressed before surgery. Glen has multiple cavities and will need nine crowns. The enamel on his teeth are very bad and he will also need to have gum treatment as well due to his medication destroying his teeth.
Unfortunately Glen is not able to go anywhere right now due to COVID-19 other than the hospital for treatment because he can be susceptible to catching anything and everything that will come his way. He can't take any chances of getting sick so he had no choice but to lose his job. When he lost his job he also lost his health care benefits. He has been working hard to try and see what they can do but so far he has got no help. In order for him to keep receiving dialysis and stay on the transplant list he now has to pay the full premium amount each month or he will not be able to get the medical help he needs to save his life. At this point The Kidney Foundation has been very generous and has paid for the next three months of Glen's heath care insurance because he was days away from being cut off from having any insurance at all.
I thank you so much for taking the time to read Glen's story. Please share this page and if possible donate. Anything and everything will be such a big help in this process that Glen has to go through. Thank you all so much!!!
Organizer and beneficiary
Alisha Maffei
Organizer
Fullerton, CA
Terri Derler
Beneficiary
