Saving Rubi — small organ, big impact!

My mom, Rubi Lopez, has been waiting for a kidney transplant since January 2020… yes, more than five years of hope and resilience. Right now, she is currently in the hospital, and we are more desperate than ever to get her back on the transplant list at St. John’s.

Rubi was born with polycystic kidney disease. Essentially it is when little cyst grow all over your kidneys in layers and layers and layers and ultimately taking over the kidney. My mom was made aware that she had this when her twin brother was diagnosed and ultimately died from the complications due to disease. In January 2020, she was told she had to start dialysis and would be placed on the kidney transplant list at St. John’s here in Tulsa.

Recently, we were devastated to learn that my mom was removed from the transplant list. Not because of her health, but because of new requirements from the transplant team. St. John’s now requires her to have $5,000 in savings for post-transplant care, and a new roof on her home. Insurance denied coverage for the roof, putting us in a nearly impossible situation.

St. John’s told us she cannot be relisted until these requirements are met. Even if she is able to reapply in August, she must have at least half, but preferably all, of the $5,000 in savings for her aftercare. This is to ensure her recovery is as safe and stress-free as possible. Without this, she loses her spot. Meaning, if a kidney match becomes available during this time she’s off the list, she will miss out.

Since my stepdad Carlos was killed in 2008, my mom has survived on a small Social Security survivor benefit, which was reduced when my sister turned 16. She lives on a fixed income and does dialysis at home every night for 8 to 12 hours, which leaves her exhausted. In just the past 60 days, she’s been hospitalized multiple times due to pain. Her kidneys are now the size of peewee footballs, and her quality of life is declining rapidly.

We are doing everything we can, including seeking out new transplant centers in Oklahoma City. But to keep every option available, we have to meet St. John’s requirements, too.

My mom is a proud and independent woman who has always taken care of others. Asking for help is not easy for her (or for us) but we are running out of options. We need to raise at least $2,500 before August (ideally $5,000) to help her get back on the list and give her a second chance at life. As of right now, they aren’t pressing the issue of the roof as we argued she would stay with me at my house to recover.

If you are able to help, every donation, share, and prayer means so much to us.

Ways to donate:

Zelle: with my phone number or email.

Directly to Arvest Bank: a savings account under Rubi Lopez’s name

Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting our family through this difficult time. You are truly helping us fight for my mom’s life. Obviously, she means the world to us. Even in her constant pain, she continues to help when/if she can with her grandchildren, allowing me the opportunity to work the hours and days that I do. Giving her an opportunity at a better quality of life to enjoy the moment with her grandchildren.