ZANESVILLE - Julie Lindsey's great-grandparents, Dorothy and Wendell Adams, were overwhelmed at the community's outpouring of support during their recent three-day garage/bake sale at their Bryan Drive home in Zanesville.

"I've sent probably 50 (thank-you cards) and will probably send at least that many more," Dorothy said. "We tried to keep track of all the people who gave us support, but I know that I missed a lot of people. I would like for each person to know how much we appreciate their help."

Dorothy said there are still donations coming through the mail, as well as letters of support.

"I so much want this community to know how thankful we feel," Dorothy said.

Michelle Hartz, of Children's Organ Transplant Association, is helping Julie's family with their fund-raising efforts.

"Not everyone needing a transplant has to raise $50,000," Hartz said. "The goal is individualized per patient. It depends on the type of organ you need, your insurance, transportation needs and how close they live (to the transplant facility)."

Right around the time Dorothy, Wendell and "saving4julie" volunteers were working on the massive sale, Julie's family received some bad news from the transplant team.

"The last few tests determined that (Julie's grandfather) was not able to be the donor," Dorothy Adams said.

Now the family is working to raise the balance of the $50,000 needed to have Julie's transplant surgery and struggling to find a kidney donor. Because Julie's condition is hereditary, it's been tough to find a donor within her family.

"There are certain stipulations (for kidney donors)," Dorothy said. "You can't have had cancer or smoke. They like you not to be a drinker or use alcohol at all and they want you under 50 (years old)."

A glimmer of hope came earlier this month when Julie's maternal grandmother, Sue Gantt of Dayton, spoke with her friend and co-worker, Tammy Baughcum.

"Tammy had (major abdominal surgery) about a year ago and wasn't even going to look into donating because she didn't think (the doctors) would let her do it. But she was driving to work and made the decision to 'Let them tell me no,'" Gantt said. "She's a dear friend of mine and I have mixed emotions about this. I am so grateful that she's willing to do this."

Preliminary tests are showing that Baughcum will be a suitable donor, but the family won't know for sure until Baughcum completes the final phase of testing on Oct. 31.

"We're going to keep asking people to be donors until the day Julie has her surgery," Gantt said.

Baughcum only had to look at her own family to know that she was making the right decision.

"I have a little grandbaby who's 17-months-old and I kept thinking 'What if it was him and no one in my family worked out as a donor?'" Baughcum said. "I just prayed that it was God's will that everything would go forward and work out."

Because Baughcum's department at PK Ware outside of Dayton is moving to Wisconsin and she has decided not to move with it, she will be off work anyway. She said faith has played a big part of her decision.

"Julie's got a lot of faith and she's a strong little girl," Baughcum said. "I admire her strength and her courage through all of this."

gismith@nncogannett.com
450-6768