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Support Joanne's Kidney Transplant

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Hi everyone, this fundraising campaign is for previous co-worker who became my close friend  from Davao City, Philippines. Joanne Matarlo-Benitez was diagnosed with SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), an autoimmune disease in 2012.  Joanne is currently having severe kidney issues and is pending transplant and surgeries.  She now resides in Cebu and is currently trying to be a productive citizen despite her condition.

Joanne has a very optimistic attitude and to anyone who knows her, you can see how she loves life and she tries her best to battle the adversities she's having right now, no matter how difficult it  is. Since I found about her condition, I followed Joanne's journey and I cannot forget the promise I gave her 5 years ago that I will give her my full support in any way I can.  I am asking your kind and generous heart to read her story and share what you can. No amount is too little to help her out.

BACKGROUND
Joanne's diagnosis of SLE 5 years ago was also the same year she and her husband, Bobby, were expecting their first child. However, complications arose from her condition. Her kidneys started failing thereby requiring dialysis. Naturally with the treatment and medication, they lost the baby.

Her condition progressed to an end stage renal failure by 2013 so she has to be put on regular dialysis to survive.

Regular dialysis meant a visit to the hospital twice a week. The actual treatment takes 4 hours but with the prep and post treatment work, the process usually takes 5 or 6 hours which can be a bit of a challenge if you still want to work and earn a living.

Aside from the long list of medication she is on, her being on dialysis requires of her to be on a restrictive renal diet and her water intake is limited to only a liter a day which can be a real struggle when you are in a warm tropical country like the Philippines.

In spite of all that, my friend has kept a very positive outlook all throughout this trying journey. She still has dreams of living a life without dialysis and being productive again to not only be with her husband but also to support her aging mother who once singlehandedly raised her.

Since dialysis is invasive, time-consuming, and limiting, she would very much want to pursue her chance at a better quality of life with a kidney transplant.

Joanne is now in the process of finding a suitable living kidney donor and at the same time, enlisting herself for a cadaver donation with the Philippine Network of Organ Sharing. Whichever route gets her a kidney match quicker, she will take.

Also as part of her preparations, Joanne will need to take care of a complication in her thyroid. She has a growing colloid goiter which also has to be removed prior to the transplant.

Joanne and Bobby continue to work hard but are barely keeping up with the ongoing dialysis and other medical costs. Currently, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation only covers some 35% of the total cost Joanne incurs in a year so to prepare for the thyroid surgery and the transplant is not only intimidating but close to impossible for them.

It is for this reason that we ask for your help. We will need all the help we can get, big or small.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation will cover approximately Php650,000.00 (about 13,000USD) to shoulder only a part of the entire transplant cost.

WE ARE RAISING THE FUND FOR
*Thyroid surgery
*Ongoing dialysis treatments
*Patient and donor evaluation, screening and matching costs
*Patient hospital accommodation and related expenses
*Professional fees (surgeon, anesthesiologist, the like)
*Donor hospital accommodation and related expenses (if via a living donor)
*Donor burial assistance and medical bills settlement assistance (if via cadaver donation)
*Post operation and anti-rejection medications
*Post op doctor fees, hospital fees
*Living costs of assigned caregiver post-transplant

There is still a long way to go through this transplantation process, and apart from it being costly, it is also emotionally and psychologically challenging but your donations, sharing this fundraiser in your social media accounts and prayers will mean the world to Joanne. We hope to get your support. Please be aware that we can accept donation from other parts of the world too. Thank you in advance and God bless you.




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Donations 

  • Tolly Alegre
    • $50 
    • 4 yrs
  • R A
    • $10 (Offline)
    • 6 yrs
  • M MM
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 6 yrs
  • J DL
    • $1,000 (Offline)
    • 6 yrs
  • ER SJ
    • $50 (Offline)
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer

Sha SC
Organizer
Loves Park, IL

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