Mercedes Rivas Transplant Fund

Don't let this picture fool you - Mercy is fighting for her life.  Despite all her suffering, she has maintained a positive outlook. ALWAYS SMILING. She is a fighter and a true inspiration. 

Mercy has been fighting a rare disorder (discussed below) for years. It got to the point where she was in desperate need of a kidney in order to continue living.  Thankfully, she is blessed to have found a matching donor (her sister), who unselfishly donated her kidney.  After extensive testing, the transplant was completed in January of 2018. It was only one of handful that have been performed in the Rio Grande Valley. Mercy's recovery will be difficult and long, but this is her second chance at life. Her sister's recovery has not been easy either (the body has to adjust to one kidney).

Throughout her illness, dialysis, and hospitalizations, Mercy mustered up the energy to continue working as best as she could (treatment and hospitalizations cut into her work hours, not to mention that the ilness robbed her of energy). Not only has it been a struggle for life, it has been a financial struggle as well. I am therefore attempting to raise some funds to assist. This GoFundMe page has been a good start.  Thank you so much to all who have donated so far.

Please help if you can. All donations, no matter the amount, are appreciated and will help! 

Thank you, and many blessings to you all.
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Background Information on Mercy's Condition (posted with her permission):

Mercy became severely ill in late 2011. Doctors were baffled by her condition. She was on the verge of dying when she was finally diagnosed with an extremely rare blood vessel disorder called Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (formerly known as Wegener's Granulomatosis), which restricts blood flow to organs and eventually shuts them down. The disorder appears suddenly and the cause is unknown. She underwent chemotherapy, which stabilized her, and has been undergoing treatment since then. Because GPA is a harsh and rare disease, she often winds up in the hospital in critical condition, and doctors have to experiment to manage her condition.  The disorder can only be managed with harsh medicines and a very strict diet, but setbacks and relapses are common.

In November of 2016, her kidneys failed completely. Since then, she had been undergoing dialysis three times per week. Dialysis requires 3-4 hours to complete and is harsh on her body.  After the procedure she mustered the energy  to return to work. However, her work hours were shortened as she had to be out getting dialysis. In late 2017, she was hospitalized about once a week, so it was evident her body could no longer tolerate dialysis.  Her health continued to decline, so doctors were in a hurry to conduct a kidney transplant. Thankfullly her sister was a match and donated a kidney. 

To learn more about Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis visit the Vasculitis Foundation website:   http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/education/granulomatosis-with-polyangiitis-gpa-wegeners/