Andrea Coleman

Andrea Coleman

Transplant Type:   Kidney

What if you were living on borrowed time? 

Andrea Coleman is awaiting a new lease on life. When she was only twenty-one years old, she had two strokes due to blood clots in her lungs and was put in a medically induced coma for 3 months. Long term effects from her stroke follow her to this day: cortical blindness, short-term memory loss, lung issues due to being on a ventilator for three months, and other disabilities related to her strokes.  As a result of the trauma that her body went through, her kidneys began to fail. Now doctors say a kidney transplant is critical to her survival. While awaiting her transplant, Andrea must endure regular dialysis treatments which leave her exhausted and take a toll on her quality of life.

This has been a difficult time for Andrea, as she is not able to be as active as she once was. She is extremely grateful for the love and support of her husband, Shawn, their child, two grandchildren, family, and friends, who have been by her side every step of the way. Andrea loves spending time with her loved ones and traveling to National Parks where she can enjoy nature and water, but these days, her activities are extremely limited. Andrea looks forward to the transplant that will allow her to live life with as few limitations as possible. More than anything, she wants the chance to see the Seattle Mariners play baseball, the 2023 Allstar game in Seattle, travel to Hawaii, and watch her grandchildren grow up, but right now, she needs your help.

Unfortunately, Andrea’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. 

Andrea must travel more than 195 miles to reach her transplant center for evaluations and doctors’ appointments. When she receives her transplant, Andrea and Shawn will need to stay near the hospital during recovery, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food, and lodging, adding to the financial strain.

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

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 Andrea Coleman” in the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Transplant Center: University of Utah Transplant Center

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