Q charity: STEVEN NEEDS HELP
Hi my name is Steven and I am fundraising for a new Insulin Pump and Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring (CGM), and to assist with living expenses, like rent and bills, while I spend at least 12 weeks recovering in Sydney away from my home and my furbaby.
A very darling friend of mine is trying to raise much needed funds to keep breathing! He's a gorgeous guy and seriously needs assistance. I really believe in this guy and know that he genuinely needs the help.
I have included over this two-page spread Steven's own words, as included on his GoFundMe page (with very little editing from me, as I believe you need to read HIS words, understand HIS situation, and know that what is happening to him is part of HIS story that I'm sure the majority of us would never want to go through.
Yours sincerely, Brett Hayhoe The GoFundMe page is https://www.gofundme.com/f/hope4steven Please donate as much as you're able. No donation is too small.
I am 39 and have type 1 Diabetes and end stage Kidney Failure. I have been on an Insulin pump for a couple of years and the pump has now malfunctioned and is outside of its warranty period so the company is not able to help me with a replacement and i am not in a great financial position to purchase a replacement.
I have just started PD Dialysis for my end stage Kidney Failure and am doing this 4 times per day. My kidney disease has been a bit of a journey since being diagnosed with it 5 years ago. Over the past 5 years this has been managed by a cocktail of medications.
I am currently waiting for a double transplant of both a Kidney and a Pancreas which will be the most magical and life changing gift i could receive.
Earlier this year on the 31st January i got the call at 12am from Westmead Hospital in Sydney that a compatible donor was matched with me and the following morning 5am my partner and i were on a Jetstar flight to Sydney.
Unfortunately the transplant did not end up going ahead. While doing my pre -surgery work up they did a CT scan and found a large cluster of Lymph nodes in my lower stomach and abdomen. They were not prepared to operate without further investigation as they thought it could be Cancer and the risks were too high.
We were sent back to the Gold Coast the following day. As you can imagine feeling pretty devastated to say the least.
I have since gone through further tests at the Gold Coast Hospital including a PET scan and a Biopsy. They have ruled out Cancer (Thank Goodness) but are yet to find the cause of the Lymph Nodes. I have only just been given the all clear to be reactivated on the Transplant List.
I am very concerned about the current COVID outbreak in Sydney as this is causing more red tape for a transplant to go ahead should a donor match arise.
May 31st this year, my kidneys which had been functioning at 12% decided to take a sudden decline to 5% and i became very ill. Loss of appetite, nausea, sudden weight loss, anemic and generally feeling unwell just to name a few of the changes I was going through.
My Specialist decided it was time for me to start Dialysis. I am currently doing PD Dialysis 4x a day everyday. While i wait for the Transplant call to happen again.
With all the changes in my body, i have started having complications with my eyes and have had to start having monthly injections in both eyes to prevent me losing my eyesight. The damage is from my Diabetes and the change in blood sugars effecting the blood vessels in my eyes.
On top of all of this my Insulin pump has now malfunctioned and is outside of warranty, and as the Dialysis solution contains sugar, this is playing havoc with my blood glucose levels with highs and lows.
To replace the pump is $9000 and to continue with the CGM this is $200 per month.
The CGM will help give me better control of my sugars and will help with my overall health and managing both my Diabetes and Kidney Failure and hellp improve my eyesight.
Adding to the stress the property we are currently renting has just been sold and we have been given notice to vacate. Currently the property market is crazy with a shortage of rental properties and outrages rent price due to COVID
We need to move by the 9th September.
The stress of all of this while trying to manage my health and my mental wellbeing as we go into another lockdown is becoming very overwhelming.
I believe in paying it forward and know although i am going through a rough time at the moment things will improve and we will get back on our feet. i just need a little help.
I will continue to update this page regularly with how my journey is going.
Stay Safe Love to you all Steven