CTI PATIENT ASSISTANCE FUND
FAMILY OF KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PATIENT MAKES LEGACY GIFT
DEVELOPMENT
The journey from diagnosis to organ transplant can be a long , difficult road . It includes emotional time spent waiting and hoping for a
donor match , the physical challenge of surviving a complex surgical procedure , and functional adjustments during recovery that come with getting used to a new normal .
When our patients come to the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute , they place their trust in the skills and experience of our expert medical team , but they also look to us for help in other ways . The financial costs of transplantation inevitably go beyond what insurance covers , and these expenses – combined with time away from work – can make an already stressful situation unbearable for patients and their loved ones .
The CTI Patient Assistance Fund was created to help ease these burdens . It supports transplant candidates , recipients , living donors , and their families with practical necessities such as prescriptions and medical supplies , as well as assistance with transportation , lodging , and utility bills . A nonpartisan board manages the fund , and 100 % of contributions are applied directly to patient-specific needs . Gifts of any size can make a positive impact .
To learn more about this opportunity , please contact Christian N . Smith , MPA , development director for the UAB Department of Medicine , at christiannsmith @ uabmc . edu or ( 205 ) 934-1974 . You also may give online at uab . edu / transplantpatientfund .
UAB Medicine patient Kevin Russell received a kidney transplant in 1991 at the age of 27 . This life-giving operation helped him live almost two more decades , to the age of 45 , leading his family to make a legacy gift to the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute in 2020 .
Kevin was the youngest of five children who grew up on a farm outside of Opp , Ala . According to his brother , Mike , coming to Birmingham for the transplant and care was coming to the big city for his family . Although it could be overwhelming , Mike says they were always met with great care and compassion by
Kevin Russell received a kidney transplant at UAB Medicine in 1991 .
the UAB team . The family was so thankful for this care that his parents , Maxwell D . Russell and Finnis Juanita Russell , honored their experience with a legacy gift to support the great work of the CTI .
“ UAB added years to my kid brother ’ s life and greatly enhanced his quality of life ,” Mike says . “ On multiple occasions , UAB ’ s knowledge , skills , and compassion stabilized and revitalized his health . The years , and the quality of those years , were a blessing not only to Kevin but also to Mom and Dad and the rest of his family and friends . It would be wonderful if this success story could revitalize hope , as the bequest assists UAB in providing care . The men and women of UAB worked tirelessly and selflessly , and their efforts made a profound difference . They were ( and continue to be ) superstars .”
For information on making a legacy gift , please contact Director of Planned Giving Kimberley Coppock at 205-975-5970 or kcoppock @ uab . edu . Visit uab . planmylegacy . org to learn more .
8 UAB CTI Report