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All Posts, Finances & Retirement

Money Monday: Donate

I got these emails almost back-to-back. Yes, I’m that crazy hippy chick who believes in the Secret and that whatever you think and believe is what life will bring to you. So I’ve been believing myself rich and trying not to let any expense stop me from doing what I want to do. So I should definitely book that $575 round trip flight to JFK, right?

Here’s the email I got from the Secret, followed by a Facebook invitation to make a donation to a friend of mine from business school who’s going through a kidney transplant.

From The Secret Daily Teachings

Is this a thought that you hold?

“I have no money to give, but when I have money then I will give.” If it is, you will never have money. The fastest way to attract anything is to give it to another, so if it is money you want to attract, then give it. You can give $10 or $5 or $1. It doesn’t matter what the amount is, just give it. It doesn’t matter how much and it doesn’t matter where you give it, just give!

May the joy be with you,

Rhonda Byrne, The Secret… bringing joy to billions

———————————————-

Dima A. – Downers Grove, IL

Transplant Type – Kidney

During a routine exam in 2000, doctors discovered Dima’s creatinine levels were elevated and referred her to a nephrologist. After extensive tests, Dima learned her kidneys were functioning well below the normal level, and she was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. She was shocked to receive this news, as she had no other symptoms and no family history of kidney disease. Because doctors didn’t know exactly how quickly her kidneys would worsen, she was told to schedule follow-up tests once a year.

In 2007, her creatinine levels jumped even higher, and doctors said her kidneys would probably fail completely within six months. Dima was living and working abroad at the time, but because of her health problems, she decided to return to the U.S. in 2008. Soon after, Dima’s father became ill, with cancer, and Dima helped her mother care for him. Sadly, he lost his health battle in July 2010, and Dima began regular dialysis treatments a month later.

Doctors told Dima a transplant was critical to her survival, and she was added to the transplant waiting list in 2009. When a friend’s brother heard about Dima’s need, he decided to get tested to see if he could be a donor match. Thankfully, he is a match, and the surgery is scheduled to take place in June.

Dima is a strong woman who has always lived life to the fullest. She loves reading, traveling, spending time with friends and being active in various professional and cultural organizations when her health allows. Dima was a computer programmer until she decided to go to graduate school, where she earned her Master’s degrees in both Business Administration and Middle Eastern Studies before accepting a consulting job abroad. She loved traveling internationally both for work and pleasure, but she is no longer able to travel because of dialysis. Although it’s difficult to live with such uncertainty about her health, Dima is determined to make the best out of every situation and looks forward to returning to her normal life.

A kidney transplant costs approximately $250,000. And that’s only the beginning. Even with health coverage, she faces considerable medical expenses related to her transplant. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. The cost of post-transplant medications can range from $2,000 to $5,000 per month–and they are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.

You can help.

To make a donation to NFT in honor of Dima, click this link. If you’d prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to the NFT Illinois Transplant Fund, 5350 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Please be sure to write “in honor of Dima A.” on the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Patient Health Institute: Northwestern Memorial Hospital

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07.18.11

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Welcome to my site, derived from an advice column I wrote while getting my MBA. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I give helpful, opinionated advice based on my own experience and from the expertise of my extensive network. For more, click here.

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