Support Four-Year Old Daniel, He Needs a Kidney

How can you resist helping this boy?

He's awfully shy, and needs your generosity, there are few things more important.

(SALEM) - Oregon motorcycle riders made a strong showing this month in their annual rally at the state capitol, emphasizing safety as they kick off the summer riding season.

Camaraderie is always a central theme at these events, and there was a special emphasis placed on helping a young boy who is part of this community, who is very sick but has a shot at life.

It all depends on whether enough support can be raised to offset the tremendous costs of healthcare. This is the sad face of childhood illness in America, we all have a chance in Daniel to make a substantial difference. Money isn't the only thing four-year old Daniel needs either, as his mom, Roxanne VanDyke, explains.

"People can help by donating, its got to be a blood type B, or 'O', no history of bladder or kidney problems, no diabetes, no high blood pressure. Women have to go a year without giving birth. No tattoos for the last six months".

Cases like Daniel's require plenty of financial support, but there are other ways people can donate.

"The first thing to do is get a hold of me, at my phone number, 503 569-2242. I do kind of like a pre-screening, and if everything there passes through, then I refer them to Regina at OHSU who does the donation for people who do organ transplants".

Daniel's uncle, Jason VanDyke

Daniel's uncle, Jason VanDyke, says a kidney would stop everything in this process. "He needs it, he needs it bad", he said. Roxanne says her son's story has been nothing less than amazing. She says he wasn't ever supposed to walk or talk or eat. "He wasn't supposed to live when he was born and he's still here."

"And he's a great kid and I love him and I'd like to see him make it," his uncle added. His Harley Davidson flies a flag supporting his nephew, everywhere Jason goes, he distributes fliers and cards.

Roxanne lifted Daniel's shirt to show not one, but two tubes that come out of his body.

"This is his dialysis catheter and I do dialysis every night on him at home. And this is for his feed pump, this is where the food gets pumped into him because he doesn't eat very much".

Roxanne says that in about six months, her son probably won't be able to walk anymore. So they're trying to find the funds to get him a wheelchair.

Roxanne added, "He has a donation account in his name at U.S. Bank. in his name, Daniel VanDyke. We're spreading the word so we can keep him around a little longer".

"We want him around for a little longer anyway".

So now you know how you can help little Daniel and you should. First, get a hold of this family and send them some cash, few people could ever need it more.

Remember that you might be able to be an actual organ donor, it is a hard match, so if people call Roxanne at 503 569-2242, they can find out if they are eligible.

Also, funds are needed for a wheelchair, that is something that anyone can help with in making a donation.

Simply call Roxanne to initiate a potential donation of yourself, or if you want to lay some much needed cash on this family, drop by a U.S. Bank and do what you can.

The bottom line for Daniel, is that he needs a kidney. If this happened, he could lead a healthy normal life.

June 11, Daniel VanDyke will be 5. Let's help him see this birthday and many more, somebody donate a kidney!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Daniels-Page/142632735795572?sk=info

http://www.causes.com/causes/561861-help-save-daniel

Tim King in 2008, covering the Iraq War

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King has more than twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. Tim is Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. His background includes covering the war in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and reporting from the Iraq war in 2008. Tim is a former U.S. Marine.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing from The Associated Press the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs, Electronic Media Association and The Red Cross In a personal capacity, Tim has written 2,026 articles as of March 2012 for Salem-News.com since the new format designed by Matt Lintz was launched in December, 2005.

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Tim specializes in writing about political and military developments worldwide with an emphasis on Palestine and Sri Lanka, Iraq and Afghanistan, and the U.S. Marines. You can write to Tim at this address: tim@salem-news.com. Visit Tim's Facebook page (facebook.com/TimKing.Reporter)