Help Yashley get a kidney transplant

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Strangers,

I hope this message finds you well. I've been meaning to reach out for some time now, and I want to start by apologizing for my absence since my last appointment at the Mayo Clinic. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions, and I needed some time to process everything.

I returned from Mayo Clinic feeling frustrated and defeated. The journey toward a kidney transplant has been filled with challenges, but amidst the setbacks, there is a glimmer of hope. I've been approved to start the medication for aHUS, a positive step toward preparing for the transplant.

However, there's one crucial hurdle left to overcome: fundraising. To officially be placed on the transplant list, I need to raise $8000 minimum. This amount will cover the expenses of a stay in Seattle near the hospital, where myself and my caregivers will need to stay for 4-6 weeks post-transplant.

The cost of accommodation alone ranges from $4000-$6000, not to mention travel expenses, parking, food, donor expenses, unexpected costs, and bills that will pile up while I'm away. Additionally, I'll need to cover the first month of medications out of pocket, which amounts to around $500.

I understand this is a significant ask, but I'm reaching out because I can't do this alone. Your support, whether big or small, can make a world of difference in my journey toward a healthier future.

If you're able to contribute financially, I would be immensely grateful. Every dollar counts and brings me one step closer to my goal. If monetary support isn't feasible, sharing this message with your networks can also make a significant impact.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for considering supporting me in this crucial time. Your kindness, generosity, and solidarity mean the world to me. Love you guys!

Here is a little bit about my story:

I know a lot of you have been following my story from the beginning, but I will give a little back story for those of you that have not. My name is Yashley(Josh-lee) and I am 28 years old. In January of 2019 I was hospitalized with severe hypertension, renal failure, and acute diastolic heart failure. When I got to the emergency room my blood pressure was 270/190. The dr.’s said the hypertension had caused 6 mini strokes, 2 brain aneurysms, and acute heart failure. I spent 5 days in St Pats ICU where I underwent a ton of medical testing, had a kidney biopsy, and attempted to heal. The kidney biopsy caused internal bleeding which lead to cardiac arrest-2x, CPR, broken sternum, being life flighted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane Washington(to undergo a procedure to stop the bleeding from my kidney and another to clean the bacteria from my plasma), followed by a medically induced 7 day coma. By the grace of God, I would spend just 2 weeks in Spokane(including the 7 day coma).The medical teams were all amazed by my quick recovery! After arriving back home I immediately started my new dialysis schedule of 3days/week for 4 hours each session. I spent most of 2019 in and out of the hospital. I closed my childcare business and took some time to slow down and focus on my physical health.

I have spent the last five years healing from all the trauma, and I finally feel like I am in a good place to start the process of kidney transplant! In November of 2022 I visited Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle Washington for a Kidney transplant evaluation. I completed some medical testing and met all the members of my transplant care team. In January of 2023 genetic testing came back and I was diagnosed with aHUS. “aHUS is a very rare genetic disease that causes tiny blood clots to form in your blood vessels, blocking blood flow to important organs. aHUS can cause kidney failure, heart disease, and other serious health issues.” My traumatic medical experience in 2019 was an aHUS flare up. We now know aHUS is the original cause of my kidney failure. Statistics show that people diagnosed with aHUS end up with ESRD/on dialysis within 3 years of diagnosis. There is no cure for aHUS but it can be treated. Treatment includes regular infusions of a medication called Soliris or Eculizumba.

In February of 2023 I was sent to a hematologist to discuss starting the Soliris Medication. Dr. Scott @ Providence Montana Cancer Center has been such a pleasure to work with. I am SO THANKFUL to be working with such an amazing team of dr.’s. They have been on top of everything… Communicating a plan to keep us ahead of all possible outcomes. Making sure we make this a successful transplant, and we do all things possible to avoid a flare up/post transplant issues is their biggest priority. They haven’t missed a thing! I feel so safe, & comfortable in their care. If you’ve ever been in a medical emergency, you understand just how vulnerable you are in these moments. Dr. Scott(hematologist), Dr. Lakatua(Nephrologist), & Dr. Weiss(V.M. Nephrologist) have all come the to conclusion the next best thing for us to do is to send me to Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota for further testing.. The aHUS has REALLY complicated transplant. In order to start the Soliris I need to go to Mayo Clinic for a kidney biopsy and further testing regarding the aHUS/TMA diagnosis. Dr. Weiss will not agree to the transplant if I am not on the aHUS medication. He has made that very clear! He wants it in my system for a bit before transplant. Dr. Weiss has been in contact with a specialist in Anchorage Alaska. That specialist believes they are under diagnosing me. They all feel as if the transplant would not succeed without the medication. Dr. Scott said all of the specialist she spoke with on my case were extremely confused as well. They could not come to a conclusion either, which is what lead us to Mayo Clinic! There is hardly any information on aHUS and even more so the specific gene mutation I have. The clinic I am being sent to specializes in aHUS/TMA. We are going to get SOOO many answers from this trip!

After quitting my nanny job at the end of August 2023, I have spent most of my time extremely sick. Hardly able to leave my house. In extreme amounts of pain. Lymph node swelling, chest pains, high blood pressure, high heart rate, night sweats.. Even spending some time this November in the hospital with a pulmonary embolism and pulmonary infarction. Now on blood thinners but still no answers.. I am hopeful this trip to Mayo Clinic will help figure out what is going on! No one here has been able to figure out what has been causing all these issues these last few months. Before this I have been in great health since my 2019 issue and getting things under control with dialysis. I have maybe had “bad labs” a total of 4x in my 5 years of doing dialysis! I am so ready to start my life after transplant journey!