John Holliday

John Holliday, Jr.      

Transplant Type: Kidney     

John Holliday, Jr. is awaiting a new lease on life. Due to high blood pressure, John has been diagnosed with renal failure. He has done everything he could to prevent his health from failing—following a strict renal diet, losing weight, and diligently taking his medication; however, John is starting to feel the effects of illness, like fatigue and swollen ankles. His kidney function has been as low as 14%, and doctors now say a kidney transplant is critical.      

Although his illness has been emotionally taxing on his family, John is grateful for the love and support of his family and friends. He’s been married to his wife, Kelly, for almost 29 years, and they have 8 children together—7 sons and 1 daughter. Sadly, they lost their oldest son, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2007, while his wife was battling breast cancer. 

While they have suffered unimaginable loss, John’s family is his strength, and they provide him with hope for the future. They continue to have faith that they will get through this by God’s grace, as He has taken them through much worse.  In his free time, John is an avid reader, who also loves to watch cooking shows. 

Due to his illness, he has to take extreme care with what he eats, but John has enjoyed trying out new recipes. He also makes sure to exercise multiple times a week, particularly enjoying getting his cardio by swimming. More than anything, John wants to be able to resume his daily life—spending as much time with his family as possible, having enough energy to keep up his highly active lifestyle, and watching his children continue to grow and prosper. But right now, he needs your help.     

The average kidney transplant costs more than $414,000, and that’s only the beginning. Even with insurance, which will cover a portion of the transplant costs, John still faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of his life, he will need follow-up care and anti-rejection medications. Post-transplant medications are very expensive, and they’re as critical to his survival as the transplant itself.  John lives nearly 120 miles from his transplant center and has to travel back and forth for appointments. When he receives his transplant, he will have to stay nearby while he recovers, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food, and lodging. John is still working, but it is becoming more of a challenge as his health declines. When he receives his transplant, he will have to be off work for an extended time, further adding to his financial burdens.     

You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to NFT in honor of John. If you'd prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to the NFT Oklahoma Transplant Fund, 3249 W. Sarazens Circle, Suite 100, Memphis, TN 38125. Please be sure to write "in honor of John Holliday, Jr.” on the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Patient Health Institute: Baptist Integris Hospital