Bringing back the life of my brother and father through kidney transplant

I am raising funds for kidney transplant of my brother and father, who are both suffering chronic kidney disease stage 5 and to immediately address health complications in liver and eyesight that my papa is facing right now.

Before pandemic, my father’s business closed down then he had to undergo emergency dialysis last November 2019 as he was diagnosed with CKD Stage 5 due to diabetes. At that same time, my brother had shown symptoms and was recommended to start dialysis treatments by January 2020. I and my mother had to split up between taking care of my father, who is in Saudi and my brother, who is with me here in the Philippines. I have to give up my job last year with the frequent hospitalization of my brother as he was not stable during first year of his dialysis. Since then, we have been surviving financially through our savings, sold our properties and support from family and friends. With all the hospital expenses we incurred last year for my brother, our resources are already depleted. Currently, we are facing financial challenges with the complication in liver and cataract that my father is having.

My brother, Norman, is 31 years old now. He is a civil engineer graduate and he loves martial arts and traveling. He is a very good writer; he loves to write poems. Even though our doctors are not recommending that I will be his kidney donor due to our family health history, that I can be at risk in the future – I wanted him to have his life back and I don’t mind taking that risk. My dad is 60 years old, he used to work as a chief mechanic for 30 years in Saudi, then eventually set up his own cafeteria thinking it would help some people from our province to get employed abroad and provide better for their families. He may not have the most friendly face / character but he never stopped thinking about others. He provided for the education of his younger brothers, helped them funding the education of their kids, create connections to give employment abroad for relatives. In 2015, when his older brother got diagnosed and needed a kidney transplant, he never hesitated funding it. Right now, even he is already suffering, he always worries about sending money to me and my brother. I want him to enjoy his retirement without having to endure dialysis treatments for life. If I still have a spare kidney, I would not mind risking my life for him as well.

The funds going to be raised will be used to address urgent health concerns of my papa, which is biopsy and other medical tests for his liver and for a surgery to remove cataract in one of his eye (which costs around $6000); for the medical tests and clearance needed prior to the kidney transplant, hospitalization and expenses during the transplant and medications at least for their first 3 months (which is around $30,000 - $33,000 for one person). We aim to have the kidney transplant for my brother by June of this year and my father to have his by end of 2022.

It’s ironic that I used to organize fundraising campaigns for other people. Sadly, now it is for my family. I am hoping for your kindness in helping me bringing my family together, and seeing my papa and younger brother, Norman, living healthy. I pray that the time will not be against me and them as complications in their health keeps coming. I was raised by my papa and mama to always help however little I can. And no matter what my family went through, what we are currently facing right now, it is embedded to me that the smallest kindness can go a long way to a person, to a family and to the community. I hope that this story will not only appeal to your kind hearts to help us but to inspire in being an instrument or a bridge to change lives.

I have posted here a picture of most three important people in my life smiling – my papa, mama and Norman as that what I want to see at the end of this campaign – having my family together, living healthy. Please help me make this a reality. Any amount will be a huge help and sharing our story will speed up my brother and father’s recovery.

Thank you for taking time reading our story and for helping us.

Mary Joy Aviles