Arthur Martens

Arthur Martens

KEEP ARTHUR'S KIDNEY WORKING !

UPDATE: Arthur received a transplant on March 11, 2020, and it's still working well!

Suji, Rachel, Michelle, and Arthur want to express heartfelt appreciation for the overwhelming support from our "family" around the world who have been supporting us with prayer vigils, calls, help with girls, help around the house, help with travel, help with funding our pre-transplant trips and our post-transplant recovery stay.

The $42,000 raised prior to transplant has been used!  The current goal includes funds need for the next 12 months as they return home.

We lose support from the National Kidney Fund this year for Arthur's portion of medical insurance premiums in addition to our commercial health insurance expiring. This means literally an extra $2200/mo out of pocket. Additionally, the co-pays and co-insurance premiums for the medication being taken is several hundred dollars a month.

Thank you for supporting their ongoing medical obligations!

Or read on below for the whole back story!

Transplant Type: Kidney

What would you do if you were told that you had a short time to live?

Arthur Martens needs a new lease on life. Without a new kidney, his life expectancy is 5-10 years. Even with dialysis, 2 million people die yearly. In 1992,  Immediately after a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, Arthur was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and later as Ulcerative Colitis in 2007.  After multiple organ failure & being told he should have died in 2013, The Lord sustained him until Chronic inflammation in his colon led to its removal just prior to his 14th anniversary in September 2016. By April 2017, he was diagnosed with a rare, incurable form of End-stage Renal Disease along with Thyroid Malfunction, Diabetes. He now faces chronic, life-long inflammation within his small intestine, requiring constant medical attention & medication. Thanks to God's Grace, his bride's support & dialysis, Arthur is still alive today. Yet his daily 5-hour treatment regimen leaves him exhausted & has robbed him of the quality of life that so many people enjoy at his age. At this point, due to other missing or non-functioning organs, doctors say that a kidney transplant is critical to his survival. 

During these difficult years, Arthur has fought for his life. He is extremely thankful to The LORD for the caring, loving support of Suji (his first girlfriend and bride since 2002) & their close family & friends. Arthur and Suji have two young daughters - born in 2014 & 2017. He loves them dearly, but his illness often prevents him from being the active and adventurous husband and father he longs to be to his girls.  Those who know him understand how much he enjoys his Spiritual and church family, serving Jesus Christ through community service,  Cycling & swimming with his girls, & daily family walks. However, his health limits those activities. He desires to be healthy again so he may fully serve his family, friends, and community.  Unfortunately, Arthur’s hope for a new lease on life comes at a very high price!

Follow his blog (online journal) here: https://daddyskidney.wordpress.com 

The average kidney transplant costs more than $442,000, and that’s only the beginning. Insurance will cover a portion of the transplant costs, but Arthur still faces significant surgery-related expenses. For the rest of his life, Arthur will need ongoing follow-up care, including anti-rejection medications.   Additionally, because he has no large intestine he manages chronic inflammation in his small intestine that was surgically adapted. And should it become unmanageable he will end up with an ileostomy again (an external bag). Post-transplant medications are very costly, and they’re as critical to his survival as is the transplant itself. Additionally, his disease has high rates of recurrence in the donated kidney so he is working with transplant centers at the Mayo Clinic (MN), Florida Hospital (FL), & Medical City Fort Worth (TX) in an effort to reduce the waiting time & likelihood of recurrence. He & his donor will have to travel to the transplant center. His family will have to temporarily relocate for 90 days post-transplant, thus incurring expenses associated with extended travel. Notably, since Arthur is self-employed, his compromised health has forced him to cut back at work. This has added to the financial burden.

What if YOUR life depended on the compassion and generosity of others?

The National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) is working with volunteers & supporters to help relieve the growing burden of expenses for Arthur. NFT has been assisting transplant patients with fundraising support for 35 years. Your gift of tens, hundreds or thousands of dollars enables NFT to provide Arthur with the financial support he desperately needs now. And by supporting him through us, 97% goes directly to his cause, without affecting his taxable income!

As MANY of you have sacrificially done, you can help in the following ways

(And follow the journey at www.daddyskidney.wordpress.com)

· PRAY...For Arthur’s family, his medical teams, and for potential kidney donors. ·     REFER...You, friends & family to Arthur's company for any home or estate buying/selling needs ...ANYWHERE. His team helps people daily Sunday to Friday.  He expresses his gratitude for those of you who have already!       DONATE...A kidney, even if your blood type differs! Viable kidney donations are welcome! ·     HELP...As a support person, before, during, after. At home or away. GIVE...A tax-deductible donation by clicking on "DONATE" above or via mail by check or credit card. Please make your check payable to NFT Florida Transplant Fund. Remember to write “In honor of Arthur Martens” on the memo line. If you have any questions about NFT, feel free to contact the staff at 800-489-3863.  He chose to work with us because only very specific medical and medical-related travel expenses for him and any potential donor are reimbursable,  That's protecting the integrity of any funds given.  See our website for further details.

Thanks in advance for your loving support to help save a life! Copy / paste the following in your browser...Primary Patient Health Institute Medical City: https://medicalcityfortworth.com/signmeupPatient Health Institute Advent Health: https://www.adventhealthtransplantinstitute.com/living-donor-programPatient Health Institute The Mayo Clinic: http://www.livingdonormc.org/mayo.pre-landing.1.htmlPatient Health Institute Cleveland Clinic: https://ewebapps.ccf.org/LivingDonor