Fundraiser for Heal With Love Foundation

Have you heard of the Heal With Love Foundation? It’s a nonprofit organization that raises money to help reimburse lost wages to living kidney donors while they recover from their surgery. Living kidney donors have to take up to six weeks off work to recover from their surgery. The donors are people willing to give one of their kidneys to someone as a life-saving procedure.

The recipient’s insurance will usually cover the cost of the screening and surgery, but not the loss of income while recovering from surgery. Currently there are very little resources for the donor to recover lost wages and income while recovering. Although it is against the law to pay for an organ, the National Organ Transplant Act does allow for lost wages to be recovered, if possible.

Can you imagine, someone is willing to help save a life but can’t because they can’t afford to take the time off of work? No one should have to make a choice between saving a life and paying their bills.

Barbara Thomas of Brookfield, IL started the foundation after she donated one of her kidneys to James Love. She had to take six weeks off work to recover and had used up all her vacation and sick time.

Fortunately, her friends and family all pitched in and helped her pay her bills during her recovery. It’s because of her experience that she started the foundation that she named after her recipient. Heal With Love helps donors across the country and is currently the only one that is nationwide.

Heal With Love is hosting their second annual Family Blues Fest on Aug. 21 from 12-6 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 900 S. La Grange Rd. The event will feature live bands, games for the kids, food, a bake sale, a jewelry sale, face painting and raffles.

Tickets are $10 per person and children 12 and under are free. Admission includes a ticket into the grand prize raffle that will be a minimum of $250. Other raffles for various prizes will be available for purchase at $1 a ticket. The prizes include a massage, oil changes and baby items, to name a few. A split the pot raffle will also be available for ticket purchase. 

The bands playing are; the Chicago Kingsnakes, Big Dog Mercer,  Joliet Al, Billy King Band, Good Day Moonshine and Crawfords Daughter.

So why not come on out and have a good time with the family this Sunday? Food, music and fun for everyone while helping a great cause. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, please visit their website.