PHOENIX—Desert Financial Credit Union has created a fundraiser to help one of its own employees. Employee Jason Kvam is suffering from severe kidney failure and the credit union is doing all it can.
According to Desert Financial, Kvam, 26, experienced complete renal failure before receiving a new kidney from his sister Michelle in 2003.
“With a new lease on life and his goals refreshed, Jason went on to earn his MBA from Arizona State University, and then onto marry the love of his life, Shanna,” the credit union reported. “In a bittersweet twist of fate, Jason learned that his new kidney was failing on the same day he and his wife received the incredible news they were about to become parents for the first time.
Desert Financial reported that when it learned about the severity of Kvam’s condition it created a website to help him find the perfect match. It has also created social media campaigns on Facebook and Twitter geared towards spreading the news about the illness and Kvam’s need for a matching Type O donor.
‘Compelled’ To Do Something
“We felt compelled to do something to help,” said Cathy Graham, chief marketing officer at Desert Financial, in a statement. “Jason is such a valued employee who has been with us for more than two decades. There’s no way we could just look the other way and not offer our assistance in the search for a life-saving donor.”
Desert Financial said in a statement it wants the public to understand that there are no out-of-pocket costs associated with the testing or surgery involved to become a living donor, as the recipient’s insurance company covers the medical bills from beginning to end, and the donor isn’t financially responsible for anything.
“We’re hoping for a miracle,” said Graham. “But, miracles happen every day when people take a leap to do something great.”
100 Have Signed Up So Far
To date, Desert Financial reported that more than 100 “amazingly generous people” have signed up to be tested to see if they’re a match for Jason, however, a match hasn’t been identified at this time.
According to the National Kidney Registry website, “One problem with direct donation is that direct donors are often incompatible or poorly compatible with their intended recipients – this means they are not the right blood type or do not pass a cross match test with the intended recipient.”
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