In Support of Max Masure

Dear community and loved ones,

Max (aka Oak) needs our help. After a truly emotional rollercoaster, a generous and compatible donor has stepped up!

Max will FINALLY have a new kidney!
His transplant surgery date is set for the end of this month (September)--he needs our support.

Recovery
Post-surgery recovery will require 8 weeks of rest and careful monitoring. Initially, he will have 3 medical appts per week. After that, appointments will become less frequent and gradually taper off over the following months.

It will take 3-6 months total to recover and return to normal life.

His Story
Max had kidney issues all his adult life. At age 19, he got meningitis and sepsis that quickly destroyed both kidneys. Max almost died. He spent 3 weeks in a coma and then 3 months receiving dialysis every 2 days. After a year of treatment, his mom was finally able to give him a kidney. This kidney gave Max 23 more years!

In late autumn of 2023, Max's health began to deteriorate. It was eventually revealed that not only was his kidney failing, but he also had Lymphoma.

Cancer treatment began immediately. Thankfully, it was effective. Max is in remission. However, while treating the cancer, his need for a kidney grew more urgent.  Unfortunately, it was not possible to address both life-threatening medical issues simultaneously.

Once in remission, Max could not be added to a kidney waitlist until meeting the requirement of two years in remission. Max began dialysis with the understanding that he was likely facing 5-6 years until a kidney would become available. Needless to say, the journey has been harrowing.

Many of us know Max for his warm, buoyant energy and positive outlook, which may belie the true difficulty of this time. Despite these challenges, Max has continued to show up as a giver of care to many--a kind, patient, and playful parent/co-parent to the kiddos and a steady wellspring of sweetness to all his loved ones.

Some may not know that, in addition to grappling with this health crisis, he has also had to navigate unemployment since April. He has been juggling health management, job searching, and the accompanying stress. Now, he cannot take on work for a few months while recovering.

If you know Max, you know they are more apt to give help than ask for it. So, I will ask for them. 

It would mean the world to Max and his care circle if he could focus on recovery without worrying about income, medical bills, rent, childcare, and other recovery costs.

The need for tangible community support at this time cannot be understated. This is a call to come together in an outpouring of care for them.

How to help Max
There are many forms of support you can offer.  We all have different resources, capacity, and forms of care to give, and they are all important.

No matter how seemingly simple the act: a meal, a visit, or a kind message, the cumulative care is life-changing.  You can also help by sharing his story and the link to this page via social media and direct share. 

Meals  
You can also provide [kidney-friendly] meals to Max:

 

Monetary Donations  

If you have financial resources to share, please consider contributing funds or gift cards. This will help cover:

 

Help boost this by spreading the word!
'Share' this with your networks! Let others know how they can help & 'Follow' to stay in the loop on Max's progress and any new support needs.

Please consider how you can show up. Every little bit of care matters and is deeply appreciated. 

We love you, Max!