Julius Mitchell

Julius Mitchell

Transplant Type: Kidney

Update: Julius received a transplant on August 14, 2019!

Julius Mitchell, is awaiting a new lease on life. He has been diabetic for 25 years and it has taken a toll on his body. Julius’s diabetes has affected his eyesight and his right foot, and he has required surgery for those issues. In 2013, his kidneys began to decline. Julius went on dialysis in 2016, which leaves him tired and takes a toll on his quality of life. Additionally, Doctors say a kidney transplant is necessary. Thankfully, his oldest son will donate one of his kidneys to help save Julius’s life.

During this difficult time, Julius is thankful for the love and support of his wife of 20 years, Katrina, and their family and friends. He has five adult children and one grandson, and his illness prevents him from being as active with his family as he would like. Julius has been an executive chef for more than 25 years, and his health has forced him into semi-retirement. He hopes to return to work once he is healthy again.

Julius looks forward to receiving a transplant that will free him from dialysis and give him back his energy. He wants nothing more than to be healthy so he can have more years with his family, travel without restrictions, no longer have to worry about his water intake, and go back to church. Julius is ready to put his health issues behind him so he’s able to play basketball with his sons, play with his grandson at the park, give his daughters cooking lessons, and take his wife out dancing. But right now, he needs your help.

Unfortunately, Julius’s hope for a new life comes at a very high price.

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, he 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 expensive, and they’re as critical to his survival as the transplant itself.

Julius lives 270 miles from his transplant center and has to travel back and forth for appointments. When he receives his transplant, he will have to temporarily relocate to be nearby while he recovers, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food, and lodging.

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

Thank you for your generosity!

Patient Health Institute: Henry Ford Health Systems