What We Do
Pediatric Pre-Transplant Support
Helping kids on the waiting list
Donate Life Kentucky Trust is the only nonprofit in the state dedicated to assisting Kentucky children waiting for lifesaving organ transplants. Established in 2023, our Pediatric Pre-Transplant Patient Assistance Fund provides critical financial aid for necessities like rent, transportation, and other essential needs, helping to support these young patients and their families through their wait for a transplant.
Thanks to Kosair for Kids, this fund has provided care for patients on the waiting list and being worked up for transplant when other forms of assistance are limited or unavailable.
By the numbers
kids are currently waiting on a lifesaving transplant in America
of kids will wait one year or longer for their gift of life
of caregivers with a child in ICU will experience signs of underlying financial burdens
average amount our fund gives to families in need
Ashley’s Story
To say that the Schmitt family has overcome many hurdles is an understatement. What started out as a happy family of 3, a mother, father, and daughter, soon transformed into a different kind of family of 3, leaving just a father to raise his two daughters alone. Each family member was stricken by grief from loss, illness, financial burdens, and more. But with each hurdle the Schmitt family faced, they got through them together, along with help from some Ordinary Angels they encountered along the way. Both Ashley and her sister Michelle received the gift of life twice, first from two liver transplants and then two kidney transplants.
“I am truly blessed to be on the receiving end of all the people who have helped my family over the past 35 years. I wish I had the opportunity to thank each and every person and to give back as much as I have been given, though I give as much as I am able, both in time and money. God has performed so many miracles for my family over the years.”
Invest in Kentucky Families Today
We accept charitable contributions to provide vital services for children on the waiting list, donor families, transplant patients, and educational initiatives.
Share Life
The need for donation is greater than the number of organs available — and every day more people are added to the national waiting list.
FAQs
This fund is designed to provide limited financial aid to Kentucky kids who need lifesaving transplants when other forms of assistance are unavailable or insufficient.
This aid can be used for expenses like medication, co-pays, travel expenses, and other medical necessities for transplant patients immediately after transplant and throughout follow-up. We prefer not to send payment directly to the patient. Instead, we pay the pharmacy, vendor or hotel directly.
Transplant center social workers submit a brief form to Donate Life Kentucky Trust. Our Pediatric Pre-Transplant Fund Advisory Committee evaluates and approves the grant to those in need efficiently. If you need support, reach out to your transplant social worker or contact info@donatelifeky.org.
If you are in need of financial assistance while your child is awaiting a lifesaving transplant, please reach out to your hospital social worker. They will assess and fill out a brief Donate Life Kentucky Trust form to provide for your immediate needs. Being on the waiting list alongside your loved one is difficult enough, let us work for YOU to get you the financial help your child needs. We appreciate Kosair for Kids and our philanthropic supporters for making this fund possible.
- Register your decision in the Kentucky Donor Registry by:
- Saying “yes” to organ donation when you obtain or renew your driver’s license or state identification card or going to RegisterMeKY.org adds your name to the Kentucky Donor Registry.
- You may also choose to register your decision on the National Donor Registry:
Go to RegisterMe.org or complete the form in the Medical ID tab of your iPhone Health App. - Once you have registered your decision, it is important to discuss your wishes about donation with your next-of-kin because, if clinically possible, your decision will be upheld after your death.
- Our Pediatric Pre-Transplant Relief Fund is generously supported by the annual Kosair for Kids Grant, as well as individual contributors, businesses, partnerships with organizations and fundraising initiatives such as our Donate Life Day at the Races. We invite everyone to contribute in various ways to sustain this vital program. Contribute here.
- Please reach out to our Philanthropy Team to learn ways you can help raise money for these patients and families in need. E-mail Shannon Adkins and let her know you are interested in raising money for our Pediatric Pre-Transplant Relief Fund.
- By contacting a member of our team, we can walk you through various ways to connect to the mission and improve access for others who have walked a similar journey to yours. By allowing us to record and share your Gift of Life Story, you will inspire others to support this lifesaving mission. Grant recipients who share will also receive a special Donate Life t-shirt! Simply contact Stephanie Grooms or call our office 1-866-945-5433 to learn more.
- If you wish to be a living donor for a child in need, please reach out to the transplant hospital where the child is listed. Their team will help you start the testing process to see if you are a viable match for the patient you wish to donate to.
- Kentucky’s Transplant Center information can be found here:
University of Louisville Transplant
University of Kentucky Transplant
Norton Children’s Transplant - Want to join the National Kidney Registry for altruistic donation? Please visit Kidneyregistry.com.