as told by her friend Gigi

Joanie is a 71 year old grandmother who feels most comfortable with her children and their friends as she is 71 in years only - her spirit and love of life keep her young. She has been battling kidney problems for some time and the past year has had to undergo dialysis for 3 hrs/3 times a week while she searches for a compatible donor. Neither kidney is working so there is a sense of urgency. To compound problems the dialysis has not been an “easy” process. She has had multiple surgeries to try and get a feasible way for the dialysis to work and for one reason or another, the pathway has shut down repeatedly whether it be her stomach, chest, neck or arms. She is currently fighting off an infection in her chest, has temporary tubes in her neck , and hoping that a recent insertion of a plastic tube in her right arm will enable her to continue the dialysis for a year at the most. It is a temporary solution as she hopes to receive a transplant within the next year. There is a possibility of receiving a kidney from a relative, but tests are still being done. This has been a really draining process in so many ways and she could use some cheering up to help bolster her spirits.