Please Help Leah with post-transplant Expenses

Leah Bauman has been a resident of norther Wisconsin for the past 18 years, living in Lake Tomahawk, just a few miles east of the island city of Minocqua.

At age 14 Leah was diagnosed with SLE commonly known as “Lupus”, which is an incurable autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system actually attacks its own tissues and organs, often causing irreversible damage. In Leah’s case her Lupus destroyed her kidneys. Since that time, Leah has undergone three kidney transplants, but unfortunately each one has failed over various periods of time. For the past seven years, Leah has been on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis while being on the kidney transplant lists. In addition to Leah’s kidney complications, she has undergone as recollected some 30 plus surgeries, most directly related to this ongoing disease and lack of viable kidneys.

Lupus in a disease not easily detected, but one of the earliest signs can be what is referred to as the “butterfly rash” on the face; a red rash covering one cheek, running across the nose and onto the other cheek. Some common symptoms of Lupus among others can be anemia, fatigue, malaise, depression, skin irritations, joint stiffness, and Raynaud’s syndrome.

Leah received a call from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota Tuesday night June 22nd, around 8:00PM, informing that a matching cadaver donated kidney has been located, and she had to be at Mayo the following morning by 7:00AM for a transplant, which was completed on June 23rd. She must now remain at the Mayo Clinic for the next 30 days with the hopes that test results will indicate that the transplanted kidney will not be rejected, and she may have a chance for a much better life now.

Leah is hoping now that through the Go Fund Me program, she may be able to receive donations to help her with medical and other expenses. She has some insurance through Medicaid, but still will have many expenses she is unable to pay for. She will have out of hospital housing expenses during her required stay at Mayo then at home care, some medical and medicine expenses, at home rent and utility payments, etc. She is driving a 23 years old car, which is no longer reliable, and needs at least a better used car for transportation to local medical clinics often 3 to 4 times a week, plus now regular required visits back to Mayo Clinic which is 4 to 5 hours from where she lives.

Such deep thanks for anyone who might be able to help.