Tina Thomas

Tina Thomas

Transplant Type:   Kidney

What if you were living on borrowed time? 

For Tina Thomas, this is her daily reality as she sits through weekly dialysis and monthly infusions. On December 18, 2020, Tina was rushed to the emergency with what was found to be a 9mm kidney stone.  The kidney stone was blocking her bladder, and wreaked havoc on her kidneys.   She began dialysis treatments on Christmas Eve of 2020. Since 2020 Tina has faced several other medical challenges and surgeries. Tina ended up requiring other surgeries on her body and is once again in kidney failure. At this stage doctors determined that Tina would require a kidney transplant

A procedure in 2022 required Tina to go on a blood thinner, she has not been eligible for the transplant list since. In November of 2023 Tina hopes to be taken off the blood thinner and be put back on the transplant list. The past few years have been very difficult for Tina, as she is not able to be as active as she once was. She is extremely grateful for the love and support of her son, Tyler, who moved to be closer to Tina to be her caretaker. She is also thankful to have the support of her family and friends. 

Before her health began to decline, Tina loved gardening, knitting, and, but these days, her activities are extremely limited. She looks forward to the transplant that will allow her to live life with as few limitations as possible. She is eager to get back to life without dialysis and recurring medical appointments and treatments. Tina looks forward to doing a bit of travel and visiting family and friends. 

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

The average kidney transplant costs approximately $442,000. And that is only the beginning. Even with insurance, which will cover the cost of her transplant, she still faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up care and anti-rejection medications. Post-transplant medications are very expensive, and they are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.

You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to the National Foundation for Transplants in honor of Tina.  

If you'd prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to the National Foundation for Transplants, 3249 W. Sarazen’s Circle, Suite 100, Memphis, TN 38125.  Please be sure to write "in honor of Tina Thomas” in the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Transplant Center:   Montefiore Medical Center (Transplant Center)

If you have any questions about The National Foundation for Transplants, feel free to contact the staff at 800-489-3863.