Posted: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 11:12 pm
By Kimberly Sutton
Halle Ludwig needs a kidney transplant. At age 11, this will be her second donated kidney.
Ludwig, a fifth-grader at Mitchell Intermediate, was born with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. She has had more than 30 surgeries and received her mother’s kidney when she was about 3 years old, according to her mother, Christine Clinkenbeard, of The Woodlands.
“She has thrived during the past eight years and is a precocious and loving (child),” Clinkenbeard said in a letter written to the community for support. “And with your support, we can continue to see her grow into a generous, kind girl who wants to grow up to be a doctor in a children’s hospital.”
With her kidney now failing, Ludwig recently was recommended by Texas Children’s Hospital for another transplant, and testing for donors must begin immediately.
“She’s at 16 percent,” said Debbie Jaeger, a family friend. “We can use all help we can get to get her message out.”
The family has teamed up with Children’s Organ Transplant Association to help secure Ludwig’s funds for the transplant.
“Your donations will help cover critical, but uninsured, medically necessary expenses,” said Clinkenbeard, who is needing an estimated $250,000-plus to cover the costs of the transplant and future transplants.
“Between May 31 and Sept. 1, we’ve spent $3,000 on co-pays alone,” Clinkenbeard said. “There are other expenses, $24 per day parking, travel expenses and plane fare for potential donors,” she said.
Her mother is flying from Indiana in December to be tested as a potential transplant donor.
Any donations exceeding the costs for the transplant, uninsured expenses, home healthcare expenses, stays at the Ronald McDonald House, parking and food will be kept in a fund through COTA for Ludwig to use when she ultimately requires another kidney transplant, Clinkenbeard said.
“In the event that Halle does not survive, the funds will then be transferred to another child awaiting the catastrophic costs associated with transplant,” she said.
To donate to Halle’s fund, go to www.cotaforhallel.com or go to Buffalo Wild Wings in Shenandoah from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. Twenty percent of all sales during that time will be donated to Ludwig’s COTA fund. Take a picture of the tickets or the poster with a smartphone and show it to the employee, Clinkenbeard said.
For those who can’t eat at BWW and still want to help, they can purchase a six-restaurant coupon with proceeds going to Ludwig’s COTA fund. Call Victoria Risinger at 832-334-9559 for information.
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