Local People
- Last Updated on Thursday, 12 September 2013 23:16
Venetia, Penn., Sept. 12, 2013
After experiencing difficult years of health challenges, 2013 will go down in the books as a life-changing year for Geri Whalen, of Venetia.
After experiencing difficult years of health challenges, 2013 will go down in the books as a life-changing year for Geri Whalen, of Venetia.
In 2007, after the birth of her third child, Whalen, 33, learned she had developed kidney disease. Although she has no family history of this illness, she has battled diabetes since she was 9. Doctors said a kidney/pancreas transplant was essential to her survival.
Upon learning of her sister’s need for a transplant, Dana Christner, immediately stepped up to help. After going through the necessary tests, she was found to be a perfect donor match.
Christner donated a kidney to her sister in January, and Whalen is currently on the transplant waiting list in hopes of finding a pancreas donor match soon.
The average kidney transplant costs approximately $250,000, and a pancreas transplant costs more than $285,000. And that’s only the beginning. Even with health insurance, which covered the cost of the transplant itself, she faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications.
To overcome these financial challenges, Whalen and her family turned to the National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) for assistance. NFT is a nonprofit organization that helps transplant patients raise funds to pay for medical expenses.
“We’re all so happy for Geri and her support system of dedicated loved ones,” said Claire Prince, NFT fundraising consultant. “But many people don’t realize the lifelong costs associated with transplantation. At NFT, we will continue to assist them in fundraising so Geri can focus on her health and her family, not her medical bills.”
Saturday, Sept. 28, volunteers are holding a Zumbathon in her honor at the Bower Hill Elementary School gymnasium, 424 Bower Hill Rd. in Venetia.
The event will be from 3 to 5 p.m., and admission is $15 when pre-registered online (www.geristeam.com) by Sept. 27 or $20 at the door.
Along with a fast-paced Zumba session taught by certified Zumba instructor Tara Benkoski, there will be a DJ, raffles, health stations and a massage therapist. The first 50 people to register will receive a free t-shirt.
For more information, please contact Sondra Hathaway at 412-478-7457 or hathaway92097@verizon.net.
To make a donation in Whalen’s honor, please visit www.transplants.org and select Find an NFT Patient.
If you prefer to mail your contribution, please send your gift to the NFT Pennsylvania Transplant Fund, 5350 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Be sure to write “in honor of Geri Whalen” in the subject line.
You can read more about Geri at http://patients.transplants.org/geriwhalen.
You can read more about Geri at http://patients.transplants.org/geriwhalen.
