Help Zelda Extend Her Life

Dear friends,

I'm reaching out to you and hope to seek your support at this extremely difficult and distressful time in my life.

About a month ago, my life took an unexpected turn when I was suddenly admitted to the emergency room and subsequently hospitalized. At the age of 26, I received a devastating diagnosis of end-stage (stage 5) kidney failures and stage 5 anemia, accompanied by dangerously high blood pressure exceeding 200. I was told that without treatment such as dialysis or a kidney transplant, I had approximately 6 months to one year left to live.

In that moment, I was overwhelmed by a torrent of emotions. I cried until I had no tears left, struggling to understand why this cruel twist of fate had befallen me when I had poured all my efforts into building a life as an immigrant in this country, starting from scratch since I came to the States to attend Wheaton College, my alma mater in 2014 and later Babson College for my Master’s degree.

Over the past month, my primary focus has been on my health. However, just last week, I experienced yet another blow as my employment was terminated on my second day of dialysis treatment. This put me in an extremely difficult situation, with my medical coverage set to expire soon and the looming risk of deportation. As an immigrant, my work visa is tied to my employment, and without a job, my legal status in this country hangs in the balance.

These sudden and overwhelming challenges have brought forth not only serious financial implications but also profound emotional distress. Dialysis costs more than $50,000 a month and my transplant surgery would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Please consider donating to my GoFundMe campaign and sharing it with your friends, family, and networks. I truly appreciate your compassion and help as your support will make a profound difference in my life during this extremely difficult time.

Lastly, if you are interested in learning more about donating a kidney, you can also share your contact information here: LINK

Thank you!!!!!

With heartfelt gratitude,

Zelda

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeldazhao/