A Kidney for Moez
Donation protected
Moez is my younger brother. He's bighearted, loves cars, playing video games, and is an avid cricket fan. Moez is also developmentally disabled. In January 2018 we learned that he had stage 3 kidney disease.
Moez’s doctors told us he needs a kidney transplant, but we need to pay the hospital the full $23,000 before they will schedule the surgery. In Pakistan, many people – my family included – don’t have access to health insurance, meaning we bear the full cost of any test or procedure.
We’re only asking for funds to cover Moez’s transplant surgery, but the full list of expenses includes:
- Kidney Transplant Surgery: $23,000
- Accommodation in Islamabad during surgery: $400+
- Hospital stay post-op: $4,000+
- Travel to doctors’ appointments in Islamabad: $50/trip
- Medications (currently 6 types): $50/month
- Blood tests (currently bi-weekly): $35 each or $70/month
- Immunosuppressants (post-op, every day): $15/pill
Moez’s Story
In Peshawar, Pakistan where my family lives there aren’t any resources for developmentally disabled people like Moez (pron. “Moyz”). He left school at age 15 after repeating several grades and apprenticed for a year at an electric generator shop, but he couldn’t retain the necessary knowledge. Now he stays home with our father, who has advanced Parkinson’s Disease, and helps our sister, Sidra, with chores.
Moez really wants to work like our sister and I do so he can help earn money and make friends. He took a 3-month sewing course last summer and loved it – sewing makes sense to him, and he’s good at it!
[Moez in a shalwar suit he designed, holding a kameez & shalwar trousers he sewed in class]
Moez’s goal is to become a professional tailor, an in-demand role in Pakistan. He had to leave a tailoring apprenticeship because he got exhausted often… a symptom we only recognized in hindsight.
In January, Moez went to the hospital when his face suddenly drooped to one side. We learned he had Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and his kidneys had failed. There may have been symptoms in the earlier stages, but with his learning disability, Moez is less capable of articulating them.
Treatment Plan
The doctors wanted to avoid dialysis for as long as possible. We tried to stabilize Moez’s condition through a careful diet and various prescriptions, but that only slowed his decline for a short time. Moez’s kidneys no longer function enough to keep him safe, so he will begin dialysis in December. Going forward, his body will rely entirely on dialysis treatment received through a shunt in his arm.
The ultimate solution is a kidney transplant. We are actively seeking a donor match, and hope to have the surgery in early 2019. This has been a longer process than we anticipated, and we’re so grateful for your support along the way.
Why GoFundMe
It’s hard for us to ask for money, but it’s our only hope for Moez. Our mother died 20 years ago and our father’s Parkinson’s has prevented him from working for the past decade. Our sister’s income covers the rent, and I send home what I can for their utility bills, groceries, and medical expenses (my wife, Kristen, and I live in the US).
We have to pay the hospital the full $23,000 before they will schedule Moez’s transplant surgery, so we need to raise as much of that cost as possible, as soon as possible.
We are so grateful for any amount you can donate, as well as for your prayers and positive thoughts. Please feel free to share this with your community.
Heartfelt thanks,
Mohsin (Moez’s brother) & Kristen (Moez’s sister-in-law)
Photos
[Moez on one of many visits to the hospital]
[Moez's kidney scan from February 2018: Stage 3]
Moez’s doctors told us he needs a kidney transplant, but we need to pay the hospital the full $23,000 before they will schedule the surgery. In Pakistan, many people – my family included – don’t have access to health insurance, meaning we bear the full cost of any test or procedure.
We’re only asking for funds to cover Moez’s transplant surgery, but the full list of expenses includes:
- Kidney Transplant Surgery: $23,000
- Accommodation in Islamabad during surgery: $400+
- Hospital stay post-op: $4,000+
- Travel to doctors’ appointments in Islamabad: $50/trip
- Medications (currently 6 types): $50/month
- Blood tests (currently bi-weekly): $35 each or $70/month
- Immunosuppressants (post-op, every day): $15/pill
Moez’s Story
In Peshawar, Pakistan where my family lives there aren’t any resources for developmentally disabled people like Moez (pron. “Moyz”). He left school at age 15 after repeating several grades and apprenticed for a year at an electric generator shop, but he couldn’t retain the necessary knowledge. Now he stays home with our father, who has advanced Parkinson’s Disease, and helps our sister, Sidra, with chores.
Moez really wants to work like our sister and I do so he can help earn money and make friends. He took a 3-month sewing course last summer and loved it – sewing makes sense to him, and he’s good at it!
[Moez in a shalwar suit he designed, holding a kameez & shalwar trousers he sewed in class]Moez’s goal is to become a professional tailor, an in-demand role in Pakistan. He had to leave a tailoring apprenticeship because he got exhausted often… a symptom we only recognized in hindsight.
In January, Moez went to the hospital when his face suddenly drooped to one side. We learned he had Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and his kidneys had failed. There may have been symptoms in the earlier stages, but with his learning disability, Moez is less capable of articulating them.
Treatment Plan
The doctors wanted to avoid dialysis for as long as possible. We tried to stabilize Moez’s condition through a careful diet and various prescriptions, but that only slowed his decline for a short time. Moez’s kidneys no longer function enough to keep him safe, so he will begin dialysis in December. Going forward, his body will rely entirely on dialysis treatment received through a shunt in his arm.
The ultimate solution is a kidney transplant. We are actively seeking a donor match, and hope to have the surgery in early 2019. This has been a longer process than we anticipated, and we’re so grateful for your support along the way.
Why GoFundMe
It’s hard for us to ask for money, but it’s our only hope for Moez. Our mother died 20 years ago and our father’s Parkinson’s has prevented him from working for the past decade. Our sister’s income covers the rent, and I send home what I can for their utility bills, groceries, and medical expenses (my wife, Kristen, and I live in the US).
We have to pay the hospital the full $23,000 before they will schedule Moez’s transplant surgery, so we need to raise as much of that cost as possible, as soon as possible.
We are so grateful for any amount you can donate, as well as for your prayers and positive thoughts. Please feel free to share this with your community.
Heartfelt thanks,
Mohsin (Moez’s brother) & Kristen (Moez’s sister-in-law)
Photos
[Moez on one of many visits to the hospital][Moez's kidney scan from February 2018: Stage 3]Organizer
Mohsin Ahmad
Organizer
Arlington, VA
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