This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Galbreath Kidney Fundraiser

The Exiled Saints have and continue to spend a great deal of time and energy hosting and supporting events for our brotherhood, our friends, and our community. I won't list them here, but you can review our timeline to see what we have been involved in. We enjoy this and take great pride in serving others while making new friends. We appreciate each and every one of you who are reading this.


We have an urgent need among our own now and it has come time for us to focus our energies and attention internally.


We are hosting the "Galbreath Kidney Fundraiser" at our club house on Nov. 17 beginning at 5:30 p.m., to raise funds for our club brother Joe and his wife Sue. They are preparing themselves for a kidney transplant; he is a match. She has been on dialysis for two years and previously had to turn down a "gift of life" offer from a friend who learned that her donation would potentially jeopardize her own future insurance claims. "This left me feeling very very uneasy, and I told her she shouldn’t do it if anything made her uncomfortable," she said. This is Sue though; she is a great lady and a very unselfish person.

Find out what's happening in Wyandottewith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Sue has been unable to work and Joe will miss 6 weeks of pay during recovery if the transplant is approved. If not, she will continue to wait. The medical costs for dialysis and treatments until now have long since become an overwhelming burden for them. They need our help.


The average cost in the United States for a kidney transplant is $260,000. It's simple math to figure out what the out of pocket expenses will be if insurance only takes care of 80 percent of those costs. Apart from the long term costs, patients must first prove they can pay for anti-rejection medications before they can get clearance to receive a donated organ. It's a challenge that many times gets in the way of a timely transplant. The reason behind this requirement for organ recipients is simple: Without anti-rejection medications, the transplant would fail and a hard-to-get organ would be wasted. Many transplant centers across the nation follow this policy.

Find out what's happening in Wyandottewith free, real-time updates from Patch.


When it comes to being an organ recipient, if they're not able to show they are in the position to carry out their health and financial responsibilities, they won't list them or they won't move up the list. There are not enough organs to fill the need.


Sue continues to wait "on the list" while doing everything she can to maintain her health to prove to the transplant centers that she is qualified to receive such a rare gift. The average wait time is 5 years and I know from experience that it is extremely difficult to maintain your health to meet their qualifications, especially over time.


We are wrapping our arms around them and are determined to help place them in a financial position to be able to expedite this needed procedure and survive this overwhelming financial burden. But we need your help! It doesn't seem like it will make a difference but we are asking for donations of just $20 and in return providing another awesome event with "The Laura Wilkie" band, "The Blues Brothers," 50/50 raffles, gift basket raffles, food, a premium donation bar, and a great bunch of brothers and sisters to ensure you have fun!


The $20 really is a small investment to bring such a huge return! This is a worthy investment.


We are selling tickets ahead of time to be able to put this event together. Please contact any of us, we have them available. Tickets will also be sold at the door.


For additional information, please contact Bones (313) 505-8672 or Reaper (248) 242-2777.


Thank you in advance for your support and generosity.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?