Purple Yam Tam Silent Auction

Wed, 11/ 11/ 2009
Purple Yam Tam up for Silent Auction
I'm helping my fellow massage therapist Sherri raise money for a kidney transplant for her hubby, Craig, who suffers from Alport Syndrome - a condition wherein a certain layer of endothelium or skin membrane scars up instead of working the way it should be. This type of tissue is usually found in the kidneys which help filter fluids in the glomerulus. Unfortunately, since the tissue scars up, the kidney wastes away and patients end up on lifelong dialysis until they find a donor kidney.

Craig has been on a waiting list for almost 17 years since his first kidney transplant failed and since then, he's on home dialysis (which sucks). Although donor kidneys are plentiful, it's Craig's antibody counts that are way too high for him to qualify for one. Lately there's been new advances in urology which allow for the patient to undergo treatment to lower antibody counts enough to qualify for a kidney transplant without the risk of the body attacking the donor kidney. Such advances are now in the West Coast, at Cedars Sinai so Craig has been flying down for treatments to lower his antibodies and after one more infusion (which can last up to 6 - 8 hours), he should be set for a transplant!

So the past few months have seen Sherri and friends raising money to help Craig cover the out of pocket expenses associated with such a major surgery and having to be in the L.A. area for a few months while he is monitored post op. This Sunday, they're holding a dance-dinner-silent auction in Sacramento and Sherri asked me if I could knit something for the silent auction.

Honestl I'm always skeptical about silennt auctions. I've heard of items that took days or months to make fetch less than the cost of materials, but in this case, it doesn't matter. I have trust in the universe that whatever the item is worth, it will get it and then some. What matters right now is that I finish it!

If you would like to donate towards Craig's Kidney fund, check out Sherri's information page where you can see a video of Craig talking about his life without functioning kidneys, and how you can help. If you would like to purchase the tam or bid an amount for the silent auction, let her know, too!