Ascend Note:
Ascend has been posting a need for a kidney donor for fellow alumnus, Sandy Ferry, since October. She marched with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps from 1960 to 1965.
We are posting an update from her which has now reached crisis proportions. Even if you are not able to help, we are asking for you to share this with anyone you may know or who might be able to help! Here is her updated plea:
Hello, it’s Sandy. Some of you may know that I have kidney disease. Over time, my kidney disease has gotten worse causing my kidneys not to work well enough to keep me alive. This is what I am facing now, and my treatment options are limited to dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant.
Dialysis is now a part of my weekly routine – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – 4 hours each session. Dialysis cleans my blood of impurities that my kidneys can no longer do on their own. The surgery I had in May 2018 to create a fistula in my upper arm to facilitate dialysis has failed and dialysis is currently received via a port and catheters implanted in my chest. I recently underwent a surgical graft procedure for future dialysis treatments; however, it will take time to “mature”.
A kidney transplant will eliminate the dialysis treatments and offer me more freedom and the ability to live a longer, healthier, more normal life. I am currently on the national transplant list, however, the timeline for a cadaver match is approximately 5 years.
A living donor is the ideal option. If you or someone you know would be willing to donate a kidney on my behalf, please contact the donor coordinators at Presbyterian/St. Lukes (Kathryn O’Dea at 720-754-2164 or Christine Opp at 720-754-3127.
- My blood type is A+ (a match would be A+, A or O).
- If you are not a match, you can be paired with another incompatible recipient-donor pair (“kidney swap”).
- You need to be in good health – no high blood pressure, not overweight, be cancer free and between the ages of 18 & 64.
- Transplant surgery will be performed at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s (P/SL) in Denver, Colorado.
- The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my insurance. The hospital can give you extensive information on this.
Saundra (Sandy) Lasley-Ferry
ABOUT SANDY
Sandy Ferry is an alumnus of the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps from 1960-1965 as a color guard performer. She has been active through the decades helping in a variety of areas with Ascend Performing Arts to include being on the Booster Board of Directors (1992-2010), coordinator for Age Out Dog Tags (2000-2018), authored the 50th Anniversary Compendium book (2008), helped out at Friendship Cup Marching Band Competitions (2008-2017) as well as supported the main office from time-to-time.
She has served on multiple committees: Drums Along the Rockies (1996-Present), Alumni Hall of Fame (2018), the Blue Knights’ 40th Anniversary, and Chaired the Blue Knights’ 30th Anniversary Reunion. Because of her dedicated efforts, Sandy was named Blue Knights Alumni of the Year (1998) and Blue Knights Booster Volunteer of the Year (2000).