Baby needs life-saving transplant Baby needs life-saving transplant (March 09, 2005)

A campaign is underway to raise $60,000 toward medical expenses and post-transplant care for Isabella Kuba. The 8-month-old baby was to undergo the first phase of a kidney transplant, having both kidneys removed, on March 7 at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

Isabella, who is known as Bella, is the daughter of former Menlo Park resident Carrie Pierce Kuba and her husband, Martin. After Bella's kidneys are removed, she will undergo dialysis for four or five months until she is able to receive a kidney transplant from her father.

The young family now lives in Bend, Oregon.

Carrie, a 1989 graduate of Menlo-Atherton High School, also taught academic literacy at M-A. She and her husband met when she was teaching English as a foreign language in the Czech Republic.

The baby's maternal grandparents are Bill and Patti Pierce, former Menlo Park residents, now living in Mountain View. Ms. Pierce is director of Women at the Well, an independent women's ministry located in Menlo Park. Mr. Pierce is a local home inspector.

The paternal grandparents, Stan and Hana Kuba, live in the Czech Republic.

Carrie's sister, Lindsay Bramel, and friend, Lisa Otsuka, are heading the local fundraising campaign. Those interested in assisting in the campaign, or needing more information, are asked to call Lindsay at 949-887-9745, or Lisa at 408-746-3086.

The family has also asked for assistance from the Children's Organ Transplant Association in Bloomington, Indiana, a national charity dedicated to organizing and guiding families in raising funds for transplant-needy patients.

Tax-deductible donations may be made in person at any Wells Fargo Bank branch, using account number 7089386101; or mailed to the Children's Organ Transplant Association, 2501 COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403. Checks should be made payable to COTA for Bella K. Credit card donations are accepted online at cota.org.

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