Help Nicole get her kidney

NICOLE CHAN-CARRANZA IS GETTING A KIDNEY ON JUNE 19th.

Getting her kidney is a blessing, however, it is going to put a financial strain on Christian and Nicole and we as a community, friends, and family need to HELP. Christian will be staying near UC Davis while Nicole is in the hospital for more than a week. Afterward, Nicole's prescription costs will be astronomical and they will need assistance covering the medical costs. Let's come together to make this kidney transplant a success for them.

Here is the article from The Union on October 2, 2020 written in Lorraine's Lowdown.

Applying for New Insurance saved her life. Test results required by a life insurance application revealed Nicole Carranza has Stage 5 Kidney Failure. The Grass Valley woman says she was feeling increasingly weak prior to the May 2018 diagnosis. “I felt like my heart was going to stop and my body was shutting down,” says Nicole. “I ended up in the ICU. I was two days away from having a heart attack.” Doctors believe Nicole suffered kidney problems since childhood; a biopsy reveals her kidneys are now pure scar tissue. Nicole, 27, undergoes nine-hour peritoneal dialysis every night while sleeping. “It’s the only option I have to stay alive without a transplant…”

Nicole Needs a Kidney. “I’m blood type B+ and can only receive a kidney from someone who also has B+ or the universal O blood type,” Nicole explains. “If someone doesn’t have the right blood type but still want to donate to me, they can go through the kidney-paired exchange program which is basically just swapping donors with someone else so both recipients get the proper blood type.” Anyone interested in donating can visit http://www.Health.UCDavis.edu/Transplant and click on Living Donor Questionnaire. With her firefighter husband by her side, Nicole is optimistic. “I’m hoping to get the word out in hopes of finding a donor so that I can live a longer, normal life off dialysis and maybe even have kids in the future…”

Here is Dawn Brindley's story as of today.

The first part of 2019 I was made aware of Nicole's need for a kidney, I began praying for her. I had known her since she was a youth in our church, and with her being the same age as my children, I felt like I needed to see if I was a match. I phoned UC Davis and was told I was not a match, my blood type is O+ and hers is B+. This answer did not sit well with me and I felt as if there was more to the process. I had a friend who donated to a 4 year old and as I observed her screening process, her surgery, and her recovery I started praying for Nicole's donor fervently. I still felt like God was calling me to pursue this further to see if I was a match. My friend told me about a Paired Exchange program, if I was not a match for Nicole I could donate to someone else and their donor would donate to Nicole.

I contacted Nicole's mom to get the donor information and filled out the online questionaire to be a Living Kidney Donor. The summer of 2020, I was camping at Little Grass Valley for 3 weeks, with no phone service and hiked to the top of Bald Mtn. about an hour hike, to phone UCD and follow up with the nurse who said I was a match for Nicole and lets get the process started. I also communicated that I would be interested in doing a Paired Exchange, if I was not compatible. After almost a year, of screenings, a few hiccups, and a lot of prayer, Nicole and I will be in a Paired Exchange on July 19. UC Davis found a better compatibility match for Nicole and for my kidney, also. She will be receiving the kidney from a wife donating for her husband and I will be donating to the husband on Nicole's behalf. Keep your prayers coming.

Nicole's words....

Wow, it’s been so hard keeping this a secret although some of you already know but I had to wait on a few things to get finalized before announcing this news publicly... On July 19th I will be receiving a kidney transplant!!! Thank you so much for everyone’s support these last 3 years while I was on dialysis and for sharing our posts when we were searching for of a donor! There’s a special person I would really like to thank who is the reason for this all, for she is the one who will be donating her kidney. Thanks to this person I will get to live a longer and healthier life and I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay her for this precious gift! We will forever be bonded now and I can’t thank her enough! Thank you, Dawn Brindley !!!!

Here’s to a new life! No more 9 hours of dialysis everyday! I’m nervous but so excited at the same time! Asking for prayer that this surgery will go smoothly for everyone involved!

Please donate for Nicole to not have financial stress through this surgery and recovery.