Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
A Utah teen facing kidney failure is getting some help from his boss. The 16-year-old is in need of a transplant to survive a condition known as end-stage renal failure. He and his family are now trying to raise $100,000 to pay for the transplant, but someone has really stepped in to help him out with the critical part of the operation.
Juan Delgado was hired at the Charley's Steakery, in the food court at University Mall in Orem, in March. In recent weeks his health has been failing. "It just didn't grow since I was little, but I didn't find out until three years and six months ago," he said.
He's now trying to build up his strength for the surgery. Thanks to support from his co-workers, especially his boss, his life-saving transplant is about to become a reality.
Juan's co-workers at the restaurant have been rallying around both him and his family. Marcus Gilbert, the restaurant's owner, said, "We started helping him out doing a little fundraising, helping him raise some money to help cover his medical expenses, which are obviously very large. And then we found out he needed a donor."
No one in Juan's family was a match, so Gilbert decided to be tested as a possible donor for him. "At first I just thought he was kidding around, but then when he went to the hospital and got the tests, I was really happy when he was giving me his kidney," Juan said.
That's right, Juan's boss has decided to donate one of his kidneys to Juan.
"It's been kind of fun to watch him come to work, and he really doesn't know how to react to me anymore. Does he treat me like the boss or like the guy who is giving him a kidney? So it's been kind of fun to watch him react, but our relationship has obviously changed quite a bit," Gilbert said.
Gilbert's employees have pledged to help out at the restaurant while he recovers from the surgery. And he says he has no second thoughts about being a donor and is glad he can help. "I feel like I'm given the opportunity to meet people that I can help for a reason, and ultimately I'll be defined by how I respond to those opportunities," he said.
The transplant is scheduled to happen sometime in the next month. We will check back with Juan and Gilbert after the transplant, to see how they are doing.
If you want to help Juan, you can make a donation at the Charley's Steakery inside University Mall in Orem. Or you can mail a check to the following address:
Make checks payable to: NTAF NORTHWEST KIDNEY TRANSPLANT FUND
Note in memo section: In Honor of Juan Delgado
Send to: National Transplant Assistance Fund
150 N. Radnor Chester Road, Suite F-120
Radnor, PA 19087
To make credit card contributions, call 1-800-642-8399 or visit www.transplantfund.org. E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
