Support the McKays to Fight Kidney Rejection and Cancer

The McKay’s Journey

As shared by father and husband, Dane McKay

My name is Dane McKay and with my wife Karen, we are the proud parents of Kadane, Kelsi and Trayvone. We reside in Kingston, Jamaica.

KADANE’S STORY

In August 2017, at age 16, my daughter Kadane McKay who at that time was about to enter her final year of high school, was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and our lives changes forever. With limited access to healthcare in Jamaica, we sought care and she was admitted to the Joe DiMaggio hospital in Florida, where she spent three weeks. However, because she is not a resident of the United States and has no insurance, we returned to Jamaica and shortly after she started dialysis, three time per week, which continued for nearly two (2) years. Between the dialysis and medications, all of our family’s financial resources were completely depleted as every money earned was allocated to medical bills.

In 2019, my wife Karen and I underwent extensive testing to see who would be a better match to donate to our daughter. I was found to be a match; however, my wife’s testing uncovered cancer and our worlds became almost unbearable (see Karen’s story below). I donated a kidney to my daughter and transplant surgery was performed in June 2019 at University Hospital of the West Indies (U.H.W.I). The initial surgery appeared to be successful at first; However, Doctors had to go back in two times after the main surgery, as there were complications. Kadane spent three months in the hospital. Similarly, I had complications and was not able to eat for 49 days. With prayer and preservation, we recovered and Kadane returned to her routine schedule. We now had a new normal – a lifetime of bills for antirejection meds and lifetime antibody treatments for my wife.

KADANE’S CURENT SITUATION – NEW DEVELOPMENT

In May of 2024, after everything was going well, Kadane started feeling ill and developed pneumonia. She was admitted to the hospital where she spent almost three weeks. Blood tests, scans and a kidney biopsy now indicated that she has Acute Kidney injury (body rejecting the Kidney). Doctors noted that this can be reversible and Kadane’s kidney can be saved if she receives a medication called Thymoglobulin, which doctors noted will help to prevent further rejection of the kidney and reverse Kadane’s current condition if administered timely. This news shook our world as this past June marked five years of our Kidney-versary. Each year after the surgery, we celebrated as she was doing very well and getting on with her life.

Kadane is still taking post-transplant medications, which are very costly and she is back on dialysis. This recent development has brought our family even greater emotional and surmounting financial distress, as I am the sole breadwinner of the family and trying to do my best under these extreme circumstances.

In addition to the post-transplant medications and dialysis three times per week, the family is now faced with the enormous cost of approximately $15,000 US to get this drug. She needs to get this urgently, as the drug will be less effective if not administered soon.

KAREN’S STORY

In 2019, when I decided to donate a kidney to Kadane, the doctors recommended that my wife Karen, Kadane’s mom, also get tested for compatibility. With just the first blood test, the doctors referred her to her local doctor as they were concerned about the results. Test results revealed that Karen had high blood pressure and diabetes. These conditions worsened over time and she had to be placed on insulin. Shortly after, she was referred to an Endocrinologist who diagnosed her with brain tumor on the pituitary glands.

We were devasted and weary. She was then referred to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Maryland, USA, in February of 2021 to do a brain surgery. MRI scans indicated that the tumor on the pituitary glands were not correlating with the problem she had. Scans were now shifted to the adrenal glands where a number of tumors were seen there. In March of 2021 she did a surgery to remove the right adrenal glands. This period also came with excessive costs including numerous trips to specialists, and other medical bills - all this while still having to purchase post-transplant medications for Kadane. Financial resources were depleted to the point where close family, good friends and our church helped support emotionally and financially.

At the point where the scan was done on the adrenal glands, we were hit with another devastating discovery. The scans picked up tumors on the breast. Our whole world again was turned upside down, as Karen was diagnosed with end stage metastatic breast cancer. Karen did chemotherapy in Maryland for three months after which, she returned to Jamaica with intentions to continue treatment. Unfortunately, she missed two treatments because of the enormous cost we were presented with. We obtained an invoice for the three drugs that she needed for chemotherapy from a local company for approximately $67,000 USD, which would only last for 4-5 months. Due to the inability to come up with that kind of money, we were forced to seek other options.

We prayed earnestly as we are a family of faith. Fortunately, our prayers were answered and she is now doing treatment at a much lesser cost in Florida. In September of 2023, Karen became very ill and was rushed to the emergency room. They immediately did MRI which determined that the tumors had spread to the brain. Emergency surgery was then performed. This entire ordeal has caused the family much emotional and financial trauma as she now travels from Jamaica to Florida every three weeks for treatments.

CURRENT SITUATION

We have depleted all resources, and I cannot work enough hours to cover the astronomical and unending bills for both my wife and daughter. We desperately need your help as we are faced with the challenge to:

• Raise the $15,000 US to purchase the medicine to treat Kadane’s acute Kidney rejection

• Fund and support Kadane’s ongoing medical condition coupled with the purchase of post-transplant medications.

• Fund Karen’s treatments and travel costs.

We know we will get through these times with your prayers, financial support and God’s help. On behalf of Kadane who currently is undergoing dialysis and my wife Karen who is receiving treatments, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

Thank you for taking the time to READ, GIVE AND SHARE our stories!

Dane, Karen, Kadane, and Family.