Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Benefit Auction June 2 in Mt. Hope
Several years ago Roy Yoder, one of 13 of the founding fathers of the local Dialysis and Kidney Fund organization, watched as his wife Emma struggled with kidney issues. With bills mounting and health struggles, he decided to donate a kidney to give her a better quality of life.
She passed away last year, but following the transplant, the couple had many years of bliss as her quality of life improved.
However, at the time of their struggles, there was nowhere to turn, so they experienced a load of medical bills that put a strain on their finances but never dimmed their appreciation and joy for life.
Having lived through that ordeal, Yoder met with several other people, and together they formed the Dialysis and Kidney Fund, an organization that involved all of the Amish churches from coast to coast investing in the organization, knowing they are not only helping others in need, but also could benefit from the fund someday.
“I’ve experienced the pain of going through a kidney fund ordeal firsthand, so I know the burden that comes with it and the strains it can put on a family,” Yoder said. “That’s why we all felt it was so important to start something within the Amish church that could help people in need.”
They are one of many families who share similar experiences.
Yoder said the organization is solely focused on helping families in need, and while the committee members serve as the tools that make the auction a success, God is the true driving force behind the organization because he said they have seen God’s hand at work in so many ways.
Over the past eight years, the organization has raised money and helped pay for all of the expenses accrued in dialysis and transplant procedures, as well as travel expenses, medication and follow-up appointments for those dealing with kidney disease.
To help support the fund, the 2023 Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Dinner and Benefit Auction will take place at the Mt. Hope Auction Grounds on Friday, June 2, with food service beginning at 4 p.m. and the auction starting at 5 p.m. There also will be a bake sale and plenty of food including barbecued chicken, burgers, French fries, ice cream and more.
Highlighting the auction will be a 30-by-40-foot frame building, with other items including Standardbred horses, a pony and pony cart, top buggy, an open two-seated buggy, an open buggy, a gym set, a five-piece bedroom suite, quilts, a quarter of beef and many more items from small to large that will fit into anyone’s budget.
Most importantly, the event will serve a greater purpose of supporting the kidney fund organization in its effort to provide funding for people in the Amish church in need of assistance with medical bills related to kidney disease.
“For anyone dealing with kidney transplant and dialysis, we will help take care of 100% of the bills,” Yoder said.
The group depends on the 19,000 members in the Amish church nationwide to provide the core funding for the organization. Whenever there is a need, letters are sent out throughout the Amish community asking for donations, and Yoder said the response is always overwhelming.
“People see or hear of a need, and they respond,” Yoder said. “It’s good people taking care of others. There are so many good people in the world who are willing to give so much for other people they will probably never meet. It’s been a blessing for many to experience that kind of giving.”
Yoder said this organization is focused on helping Amish families, and it is simply a matter of taking care of brothers and sisters in the faith.
He said living in this area also is a blessing because the people, businesses and churches that donate to the benefit auction give willingly and greatly.
The need for kidney transplants continues to rise, with a record number of cases recorded in 2022.
The committee members believe when a situation arises that requires medical treatment on kidney-related issues, families should be able to focus on the medical issues at hand and have treatment and recovery be the focus, rather than having families worry about paying steep medical bills.
The annual dinner and benefit are open to anyone who loves auctions and enjoys supporting families facing a daunting time.