Mom plans fundraiser for son who needs a kidney
Submitted by Craig Skowron Hope Foundation
A fundraiser for the Craig Skowron Hope Foundation will be from 5-10 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 5, and 11 a.m. to closing Thursday, Oct. 6, at the Village Squire, 480 Randall Road in South Elgin.
Enjoy lunch or dinner, then present a flier to your server. For a flier, contact kidney4craig@yahoo.com. A donation of 15 percent of your bill will be given to the Craig Skowron Hope Foundation. There will be a raffle, a chance to make a donation to the foundation, and order one of Craig's popular “Got Kidneys?” T-shirt.
The fundraiser is being organized by Kathy Skowron, a former St. Charles Unit District 303 teacher, for her adult son, Craig Skowron, who has polycystic kidney disease.
In addition, longtime friend Jennifer Murphy is dedicating her participation of the 2011 Chicago Marathon to Skowron, who is in dire need of a kidney transplant. Polycystic kidney disease is one of the most common, genetic, life-threatening diseases that affects more than 600,000 Americans.
He has been receiving kidney dialysis 3-4 days a week since April 2008. Undergoing dialysis treatment takes 12 to 18 hours a week, which often results in exhaustion, making it difficult for him to live a normal, productive life. During these last two years, he has been hospitalized many times and in June 2009 one of his kidneys was removed.
There are 85,000 people waiting for kidney transplants in the United States. Within the last 20 years the waiting list has doubled while the amount of donors has remained fairly consistent. Every 11 minutes another person is added to the national registry wait list. Each day 19 people die waiting for transplants that can't take place due to the shortage of organs. The average cost for a kidney transplant and first-year expenses is $260,000. Unfortunately, insurance does not come close to covering all of Skowron's medical related expenses or travel costs related to his illness.
Being on dialysis for over a year has decreased his survival rate. A living kidney donor will provide Craig with a greater chance of survival than a deceased donor. The transplant will greatly improve his life, allowing him to work, participate in physical activities that are now impossible, and eat a less-restrictive diet. A donor is not responsible for medical expenses, as they will be paid for by his insurance.
Consider being a living donor or making a financial contribution to assist with his medical expenses.
If you are interested in knowing more about Craig's situation or would consider being a potential kidney donor to him, email kidneydonation@yahoo.com. To make a monetary donation for his medical expenses, send a check payable to Craig Skowron Hope Foundation, c/o Fifth Third Bank, 700 S. Randall Road, St. Charles IL 60174, or go to any Fifth Third Bank and inform them that you would like to deposit a check to the foundation.