This fundraiser is for my daughter Laura Beth. Shortly after Laura turned 5 years old, she was diagnosed with Lukemia AML, that was in 1987. We were informed unless we found a perfect match for a bone marrow transplant, she would not live to be a teenager. As it turned out, my oldest daughter who was 8, was a perfect match, and we all went to Minnesota for the transplant, because as of yet they didn't do transplants on children in Michigan. it is here that a woman of faith at our church labeled Laura as "the Lady of Victory", and till this day I will not let Laura forget that she is a Lady of Victory. From the day of Laura's initial diagnosis til the day we all came home healed, was 6 months, and Laura continued to grow and become a beautiful young bride to a very loving young man.  AS a father, I wish I could say "and they have been living happily until this day, but that wouldn't be the truth. Part of Laura's treatment was full body radiation along with chemo, and an occasional blood transfusion. Radiation affects the body in many ways over a long period of time, one effect it has is that it hardens muscle tissue, and the heart happens to be a muscle. Laura has congestive heart failure. During one of those blood transfusions she got blood tainted with hepatitus C, and it was not discovered until almost 30 years later. I am just guessing but I bet the massive amount of chemo pumped into that young little body is the reason she is now in 5th stage renal failure. Laura gets dialysis 3 times a week, and the doctors will not put her on a donor list, because if you didn't know by now, her heart is too weak for the procedure. Oddly enough her husband has been checked by the doctors, and he is considered a perfect match, but no hope has been given that the transplant will happen. Which brings me here to this platform. I believe oxygen therapy is Laura's doorway to the transplant. Sadly, oxygen which happens to be in abundant supply, is not covered by insurance. An initial phone conversation  with the clinic revealed that each treatment would cost $195.00, and that she would possibly need treatment 5 days a week for at least 8 weeks, if my math is right, that comes to $8000.00 total. Laura and her husband Josh barely make enough money to pay their rent. I am retired on a fixed income, my wife and I are able to put together $200.00 a month to get her in a chamber once a month. As a father I know no greater pain than to see my children suffer only to standby helpless. I heard of go fund me, and a small seed of hope has fed my faith in humanity, God bless whoever came up with this idea, and God bless each and every one of you who took the time to read about my little angel.

  Laura Beth's dad
  David Wood