Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Eddie Coker to perform at McKinney charity fundraiser

By Staff of McKinneyNews.net

Eddie Coker

Popular children’s musician Eddie Coker will perform June 20 at a fundraiser for the National Foundation for Transplants. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the NFT Texas Kidney/Pancreas Fund in honor of transplant recipient Sherri Williams. The concert will take place at the McKinney Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m.

Williams was diagnosed with type I diabetes at age 18 and suffered with the disease for 20 years. Today, she is no longer diabetic, thanks to a lifesaving pancreas transplant.

In April 2005, Williams received a pancreas transplant after spending several months on the waiting list. She is doing well today and leads a local transplant support group.

A pancreas transplant costs approximately $350,000. Even with health insurance, most patients face a lifetime of follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. These medications can cost between $1,000 and $5,000 each month and are as essential to the patient’s survival as the transplant itself.

Williams currently takes 18 different medications, including prescriptions for asthma and immune deficiencies. One of these essential medications has caused stage 3 chronic kidney disease, which may require additional treatment in the future.

Other common expenses for transplant patients include travel and lodging, as patients do not always live in the same city as their transplant center. Williams travels 300 miles to Houston for monthly check-ups.

To overcome these financial challenges, Williams turned to the National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) for assistance. NFT is a nonprofit organization which helps transplant patients raise funds to pay for transplant-related expenses.

“Many people don’t think about the long-term expenses for transplant patients,” said Connie Gonitzke, NFT director of resource development. “They only think about the cost of the transplant itself, but the reality is that these patients face a lifetime of costly medications and follow-up care. At NFT, we help raise funds for these patients so they can fully enjoy their second chance at life.”

Community members are invited to attend the June 20 concert to help Williams with her transplant-related expenses. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. There is no charge for children 2 and younger, but all attendees will need a ticket to enter. Tickets may be purchased at the MPAC box office, online at www.mckinneyperformingartscenter.org or by calling 214-544-4630. Phone and online ticket purchases will incur additional fees.

Coker, an internationally recorded songwriter and performer, has entertained more than 1 million children nationwide, created his own radio show for Disney, written music for Borders Books, Chuck E. Cheese, Barney, Hit Entertainment (the creators of Bob the Builder & Angelina Ballerina), and has published hundreds of original songs for children and their families.

To make a secure online donation, please visit www.transplants.org. Donors should click on “Patients We Help” to locate Williams.

About NFT

NFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Memphis, Tenn., which has been helping transplant patients overcome financial obstacles since 1983. NFT provides fundraising expertise and advocacy to transplant patients by organizing fundraising campaigns in the patients’ own communities. NFT currently assists more than 700 transplant candidates and recipients nationwide. For more information about NFT, please call 800-489-3863 or visit www.transplants.org.

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