Fundraiser will aid toddler who needs kidney
SAUGERTIES, N.Y. >> Leah Storm was born Nov. 5, 2015, and already has had multiple operations, including an open heart surgery.
Now the toddler is slated to undergo a kidney transplant.
To help her family pay for the surgery and associated expenses, a fundraiser will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. June 3 at the Saugerties Elks Lodge on state Route 32. A $10 donation will benefit the Storm family. The Lost Cowboys and the Paul Luke Band will perform.
All proceeds from the event will go to Leah, who is the daughter of Kristel and Craig Storm of Saugerties.
Donations also may be made online at bit.ly/2qKwljQ, or checks made out to “Leah’s Journey to a Kidney Transplant” can be mailed to P.O. Box 203, Palenville, N.Y. 12463.
In a Facebook posting, Kristel Storm wrote about her daughter being born prematurely via an emergency C-section. Leah was then immediately transferred to Albany Medical Center for treatment, where it was determined she had a cyst on her kidney and problems with her heart. She also had to have a catheter placed as part of her peritoneal dialysis treatment.
When the catheter failed, the family was transferred to Boston Children’s Hospital, where Leah received a new catheter and further treatment. Leah finally was able to go home on Jan. 29, 2016.
On Jan. 5 of this year, Leah had open heart surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital. While she was recovering, Craig Storm underwent testing to determine whether he could donate a kidney to his daughter. Initially he was found to be compatible, but last week the family learned he no longer was.
The family hopes to find another donor and stay on track for Leah to have a transplant in July.
For more information about Leah’s journey, visit her Facebook page by searching “Leah Storms journey to a kidney transplant.”