The Young family are my heroes! This is Lisa and her daughters Mandy and Alex. I have shared Mandy's story before and you should also check out her website and I took Alex and Chad's maternity photos before their little girl was born. Today I want to tell you the story of Mandy's mother and father, Lisa and Speed Young.
Lisa needs a kidney transplant. According to the Mayo Clinic, "A kidney transplant is used to treat kidney failure, a condition in which your kidneys can function at only a fraction of normal capacity." According to Living Kidney Donors Network, "There are over 80,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list – and many people wait more than 5 years for a kidney from a deceased donor. The waiting list has doubled in size over the past 10 years - and it continues to grow." Finding a kidney donor is a very long and difficult process. Lisa's family immediately started getting tested because usually blood relatives are where you begin looking for a match. The Young's were constantly praying that a match would be found. And then Speed got a phone call. On Lisa's birthday. According to Lisa, "All I could hear was, 'Ok, uh huh, right, ok, sure.' He hung up the phone, looked over at me with big tears in his eyes and said, 'Lisa, I'm a match. I'm your match.' I felt every ounce of strength I had leave my body and my emotions got the best of me! I dropped my face into my hands and now balling like a baby, I thanked God for His miracle and then I practically ran across the room to him and said, 'Thank you. thank you for saving my life! I really hope I can save yours for you someday.' He looked at me and said, 'Well thanks, but I really hope you don't have to!'"
Doctors told Lisa and Speed the chance of their being a perfect match was fifty million to one. FIFTY MILLION to ONE! Their daughters couldn't be happier. Mandy says, "They really are the perfect match all the way around! Tears fill my eyes in thankfulness!" Alex says, "Better, worse, sickness and in health...they complete each other!!"
So now the Young family pushes on together and are looking ahead to the surgery. The thing is kidney transplants are very expensive. For example medication alone after a transplant is approximately $33,000 a year not to mention all the other expenses involved. So for the rest of 2012 a portion of every photoshoot that is booked with Susan Crutchfield Photography will be donated to the Lisa Young Transplant Fund. It doesn't matter when the photo shoot is booked for 2012, 2013 or 2014! I have been looking for a special cause to support for two years and I am so thankful to have found it.
Also, if you would like to donate to the Lisa Young Transplant Fund checks can be sent to: Mandy Young P.O. Box 80354 Conyers, Ga 30013. If you can not donate please join me in praying for this wonderful, inspirational family.
To book your session today please email me at susan@susancrutchfieldphotography.com. And check out my Facebook page to stay updated on funds raised!
