Laxmi Senior now needs a kidney transplant

Laxmi, now 36 years old, former SEA student, suffers from Lupus which was diagnosed 17 years ago. Lupus is an autoimmune disease (a disorder of the immune system which “attacks” the body that it should normally protect), rare and chronic, incurable to date, which evolves over a prolonged period, with relapses ( flare-ups) and symptom-free periods (remissions). Today, only the symptoms caused by Lupus are treated. Lupus causes an inflammatory process which most often affects the skin and joints, and can be complicated by kidney damage. Since 2012, Laxmi has suffered from chronic kidney disease. Today, she is in end-stage renal failure, and only a kidney transplant can allow her to continue living.

It is SEA which, since the diagnosis of Lupus, has financed Laxmi’s treatment via its Emergency Aid Fund.

The doctor at the National Kidney Center in Kathmandu, who has been following her since the start of her illness, is now directing her to the Shahid Dharma Bhakta National Transplant Center (SDNTC), located in Bhaktapur, very close to the Home SEA. Today, April 21, 2024, she has an appointment with Doctor Kalpana K Shrestha, Head of the Department of Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation at SDNTC, who will review her file to ensure that she is a suitable candidate for the transplant, before including her on the kidney transplant list.

As it is possible to live with only one kidney, her sister, who is in good health, volunteers to give her one of her kidneys.

Her journey to being included on the kidney transplant list is far from over. Indeed, a pre-transplant assessment must be carried out, in order to answer two essential questions: what are the risks in the short and medium term? what is the most appropriate immunosuppressive treatment (to avoid rejection of the transplanted kidney)? To do this, a complete medical assessment must be carried out (complete cardiovascular examination, including cardiac ultrasound and Doppler of the arteries, examination of the urinary tract, including abdominal CT, an infectious assessment, and other examinations deemed relevant by the transplant team).

Before the transplant can take place, her sister will also have to undergo a battery of medical examinations to check whether her blood and tissues are compatible with those of Laxmi.

Carrying out the transplant will require hospitalization for 2 to 4 weeks. Once released from the hospital, Laxmi will be subject to regular clinical and biological examinations, on specific dates.

At this stage, we do not have a clear idea of ​​the cost of the treatment as a whole, but there is no doubt that it will be very high. For the transplant alone, excluding hospitalization and medical examinations before and after the transplant, the cost should be approximately €6,000. We are fortunate that the most renowned hospital for kidney transplantation in Nepal is a public hospital, 4 times cheaper than private hospitals. The Shahid Dharma Bhakta National Transplant Center is indeed a public hospital.

We appeal to your generosity. The total medical cost of the kidney transplant and associated tests and examinations threatens to overwhelm the resources of SEA, which still has 12 students in its care. Please help us help Laxmi! Her life is at stake.