ANKS is a campaign to raise funds needed for Shoshana Naftel to receive a much needed kidney transplant.

Please, help Shoshana get a second chance at life by volunteering for our DodgeBall Tournament scheduled for November 24th, donating time, supplies, or funds. More information on tournament registration and other ways you can help will be coming soon. This campaign may also include other minor fundraisers until the big day.

Shoshana is 24 years old and originally diagnosed with FSGS (Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis), a very rare kidney disorder, in 2008. After three years of failing to respond to treatment her kidneys finally lost all function and Shoshana was diagnosed with ESRD (end stage renal disease). After some recent testing, it turns out she also has Lupus and that Lupus may have been the cause of her kidney failure. Shoshana has been on quite a journey. She now is doing peritoneal dialysis at home. While dialysis is a lifesaving treatment, it performs only about 10 percent of the work a functioning kidney does. Also because of its impact on the body, dialysis can cause other serious health problems and complications including: anemia, bone disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, nerve damage, and infection. As a result, the average life expectancy for a patient on dialysis is generally five to ten years. On the other hand, patients who receive a kidney transplant typically live longer and have a more quality life than those who stay on dialysis.

The ANKS donations page is at www.giveforward.com/anewkidneyforshoshana . You can make a donation here or copy the link and send it to everyone you know! =]