Shelley Chappell, age 54, has been bravely battling kidney issues her entire life. She was born with chronic kidney problems and underwent major surgery at just 5 years old to repair a severe kidney reflux. Later in life, during her pregnancies, Shelley developed preeclampsia—dangerously high blood pressure that lasted for extended periods—causing further, irreversible kidney damage.

Today, Shelley is facing the most challenging stage of her journey yet. Her left kidney is blocked and cannot be repaired. Her right kidney function is about 13%. To keep her body functioning, she currently relies on a nephrostomy tube (a kidney catheter placed through her back). While lifesaving, this is not a long-term solution and causes frequent infections and requires inpatient procedures to have the tube replaced every four weeks. As her kidney function continues to decline, a kidney transplant is now urgently needed to protect her life and restore her health.

Shelley has courageously begun the extensive kidney transplant evaluation process. She has completed her first kidney transplant meeting at OU Health. One of the transplant doctors feels she is a good candidate for transplant! She has already received clearance from her urologist, nephrologist, cardiologist, and completed her colonoscopy. Upcoming requirements include:

Each of these steps is essential before she can be fully approved and placed on the transplant list.

Beyond her medical journey, Shelley is a vibrant, passionate woman who pours her heart into everything she does. She owns and leads a thriving company—Clutter Free—guiding a team of 20 wonderful people. She has been married to her husband, Chris Chappell, for 29 years, and together they have two sons: Cole (23) and Colin (18), who remain her greatest joy and deepest motivation.

As Shelley navigates the road to transplant—filled with medical appointments, procedures, and financial burdens—your support can make a tremendous difference. Every donation helps her get one step closer to the life-saving kidney transplant she urgently needs.

The next goal: Raise approximately $4,300 for dental procedures required before she can have the transplant! She will next need $5,000 in her Transplant Fund before she can be presented to the Board (25 members) for the next phase of approval. So, Shelley needs to raise a minimum of $9,300.

Thank you for standing with Shelley, for sharing her story, and for helping lighten the load during this critical time.

Whether you give via Caring Bridge, Venmo or CashApp, all funds will be contained in Shelley's Transplant Fund account so we can ensure every dollar goes towards meeting these specific goals!

Venmo: @ShelleyTransplant

CashApp: $ShelleyTransplant