Young Marine Needs Kidney Transplant

CAN YOU HELP THIS MARINE?

Victoria Chadwick’s husband, U.S. Marine Sgt. Jake Chadwick, was deployed to Iraq in 2008. During Jake’s deployment, Victoria volunteered all her free time at Operation Gratitude, and became an instant and beloved member of the Operation Gratitude family.

Jake returned safely from Iraq and they both joined us at the armory for the 2009 Patriotic Drive. Jake and Victoria moved to Camp Pendleton and happily began their married life together. We were thrilled to learn they had a beautiful baby girl in October, 2010: Ella Marie Chadwick!

However, one week later, Jake was hospitalized with kidney failure and was immediately put on dialysis. There is no known cause and he must now be on dialysis 4 hours a day, three days per week to stay alive.

Jake, Victoria and Ella’s only hope to return to a normal life is for Jake to receive a kidney transplant, preferably from a living donor with Blood Type O.

Please watch the NBC LA News video interview with Jake and Victoria here: Iraq Veteran Needs a Transplant

Read Dennis McCarthy’s article in the LA Daily News here: Marine Who Served in Iraq Needs a Kidney

You can read more about Jake’s story written by his mother here: Jake Needs a Kidney

At the very least, please share this story with friends and family, and ask them to also share it with others so we can help this brave young Marine and his family. They have served our nation with honor. Let us show them our gratitude by helping them at this critical time in their lives.