Hi my name is Jaclyn and while working at NUMC over 20 years ago, I absolutely loved my time on the pediatric floor as an Activities Specialist. My role was to offer support and encouragement to the patients through art & recreation. Although they all had a piece of my heart one way or another, a select few , and especially one found a place indefinitely. His name is Elijah and he was 9 years old when I met him. He was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome and NUMC became his second home. He literally was there equally as much as he was home. We bonded over Mario cart and he won me over with his infectious smile, laugh and sweet loving personality. In fact, his whole family was so genuine & loving, it confirmed what a special person Elijah was. At 9 years old he was diagnosed with minimal change disease and at 12 he was informed that he had fsgs and had to be seen by a specialist. Shortly after at 13 he began dialysis. He remembers waking up confused with a tube coming from his chest and lot of blood , he had no idea it'd be the beginning of such a long journey with dialysis. After he finished high school he received a kidney that summer 7/16/2010 and exactly 4 years later it failed on 7/16/14. He was on dialysis 7 years before he received another kidney 3/2021. I picked him up from the hospital after that surgery and then watched as he went through one of the longest and trying times of his life. Unfortunately the kidney failed in the hospital. He woke up from the surgery intubated and handcuffed to his bed , the dr said he coded on the table and his lungs deflated. He did chemotherapy that weakened his immune system and dropped from 145to73 lbs. He could barely walk and now it's 2025 and he’s waiting for a new kidney and he is going for dialysis 3 days a week and he still has faith something amazing will happen for him and so do I. Throughout all of Elijah’s health battles, his hard working family supported each other emotionally and financially, until a family member sold their longtime family home with no warning. The family has since been homeless, spent nights in hotels, the car and air Bnbs at $200 a night. With steady jobs and incomes they just can’t catch up or save for a security deposit and first month’s rent paying this much a month. They just recently had to take the car off the road as well since something went wrong with it. They are in need of clothes and food as well. Any little bit would help this family who need a break. I believe God has a plan for Elijah’s life and he is the same sweet, gentle boy I remember with the infectious smile and laugh, he’s just all grown up and I’m praying we can collectively help him and his family.