Our Crowdfunding Groups
Thank you for your support! This fundraising page has closed, but you can still contribute to their cause here!
I was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease in February 2000. I met Dr. Rastogi in July 2013 at a PKD seminar and I knew immediately I wanted him for my doctor. I had finally found a doctor who had complete knowledge concerning this disease. My first appointment with him was that same July and I was very impressed, he was very caring and compassionate. At this time, my GFR was at 27. He listened to my concerns and reassured me he would do everything he could to help me. I had complete faith in him. As my levels dropped, he told me I would be placed on the Kidney Transplant Wait List and I would have to go on dialysis.
I was devastated. Dr. Rastogi comforted me and he said that everything would be all right; he was going to take care of me. In July 2016, I had the peritoneal catheter placed in my stomach for dialysis. I started dialysis in September and hooked up every night to the machine for about 10 hours. Dr. Rastogi had spoken to me about the Living Donor Program as my blood type was O Negative and it would be years until I would get a kidney from a deceased donor.
I met my great transplant coordinator, Suzanne McGuire, through phone calls and we started looking for a living donor. My husband, Robert, volunteered but he was not a match. I had three other family members volunteer but those fell through because my antibody levels were too high. Robert decided to donate a kidney so I would be able to get one. Suzanne kept searching and in December, she called and said she found a match and surgery was scheduled for January but that person backed out.
In February, I got another call, about a living kidney donor who was an even better match. I had my transplant on March 1, 2018 and a year and 2 months later, I am doing great. My surgeon was Dr. Jeffrey Veale. I had a few problems but overcame them. My husband donated a kidney on March 7, 2018.
I am extremely thankful to my non-directed donor. If you are reading this, your selfless act of generosity has been a life changer for me and my family! There are not enough words to thank my husband Robert, Dr. Rastogi, Suzanne McGuire, Dr. Veale, and the hospital staff at UCLA for taking great care of me. I also want to thank the staff at the Connie Frank Kidney Transplant Center; you are all wonderful, with special thanks going to Dr. Erik Lum.
The UCLA CORE Kidney Program aims to impact the surrounding communities to achieve excellence in health by fighting kidney disease through increasing awareness of the needs of our community through Clinical Excellence, Outreach, Research and Education (CORE).
Every dollar counts: due to the incredible generosity of donors at last year's Kidney Fair, we were able to fund future educational health fairs, and free educational monthly seminars that provide the support, education and resources for those who have kidney disease or want to learn more about them.
Learn more and check out the UCLA CORE Kidney website here!
Your donation is tax-deductible. UCLA Foundation is a public, non-profit educational institution exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. The tax payer ID is: 95-2250801
If you do not wish to receive further fundraising information from UCLA Health Sciences, please either call us at (855) 364-6945 or email us at OptOutUCLAHSD@support.ucla.edu, providing your name, address, phone number, email, and from which department you're requesting to be removed.
Please review UCLA and the UCLA Foundation’s Disclosure Statements for Prospective Donors atwww.uclafoundation.org/disclosures
Gifts are managed and invested in accordance with UCLA’s endowment investment policies. The total return earned in excess of the amount approved annually for payout will be retained in the endowment principal to protect from the effects of inflation and to allow for growth. At the Chancellor’s discretion, when the payout is not needed for purposes of the fund, the return of payout may be added to the endowment fund principal. In the event the fund does not reach endowment minimum; or the program ceases to exist at UCLA, proceeds from the fund will be utilized in an area and manner as closely related as possible to the original intent and purposes for which the fund was established.