Lori Kloepping, who has battled Lupus for years, recently found out she has late stage 4 kidney disease. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. About 75% of those with Lupus end up with kidney disease, and stage 5 is life threatening.
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Last Thursday, Lori met with a transplant team at Research Hospital in Kansas City.
“It’s a long, long process,” said Cheryl (Haggerty) Hoke, who has set up a funding account for Lori. Lori and Cheryl graduated Gallatin High School together in 1982 and have remained friends through the years.
“The search for a kidney can take from six months to two years,” said Cheryl. “Right now Lori is tired, worried and overwhelmed.”
Insurance will not cover the entire cost of the operation that will save Lori’s life. It will cost $417,000 for a kidney transplant, and that doesn’t include aftercare. One pill which she must take each month for three to six months after the operation costs $4,500 a pill.
To help with the financing, Cheryl has set up a “www.gofundme.com/lifeandloveforLori” account.
“To date, we’ve raised close to $10,000, and that is amazing, given that the account was set up less than a month ago. But there is more work to be done,” said Cheryl. “When Lori met with the transplant team last week, they were elated that this amount of money was already raised. We believe that will help her chances in getting a kidney sooner.”
If you are more comfortable donating locally, accounts have also been set up at both BTC Bank and Farmers Bank in Gallatin.
Community fundraisers are in the works. Laura Hoyle will soon be doing some “Holiday Baking with a Heart (Or a Kidney)”. Watch Laura’s Facebook page for posting in December.
Lori said her meeting with the transplant team went well.
“The pre-transplant coordinator is a lady I used to work with,” said Lori, who was a licensed practical nurse and emergency medical technician for many years. “The next trip to the hospital will involve a total heart work up and blood work.”
After that, if the transplant team approves, Lori will sit down with the surgeons to discuss being placed on the donor list. Testing for donors will also begin.
“Lori and her family have always been willing to lend their time and talent to anyone in the community in need,” said Cheryl. “This is a chance for the community to lend her a hand in turn.”
PICTURE: Lori with husband Eric Kloepping and daughter Kara McGhee, potential donors. Eric and Lori have one son, Klint.