Latino Fest: Fundraiser for Jorge Gonzalez
By: Nadia Bashir
Updated: June 19, 2009
Sixteen-Year-Old Jorge Gonzalez needs a kidney transplant. He does not have the $100K required for it. Over the last year the Fort Wayne community has rallied behind Gonzalez to help raise the money. So far Gonzalez, who will be a freshman at Southside High School in the fall, has about half of the money he needs. All the money has been raised through donations and fundraisers.
Gonzalez currently undergoes dialysis four times a day.
Latino Fest will take place on Saturday, June 20th. All of the proceeds will go to the trust fund set up for Gonzalez. The festival is also a celebration of the fifteenth anniversary of El Mexicano, Fort Waynes bilingual newspaper.
The papers founder, Fernando Zapari, is also Gonzalezs godfather. He says he believes the community will come through to raise all the money needed for the transplant.
Both of Gonzalezs parents have offered to donate a kidney. Once Gonzalez has $80K, doctors can begin to get the ball rolling on the medical process for the transplant. That includes determining if either of the parents would be medically compatible.
You can also donate to the Jorge Gonzalez Trust Fund at any National City bank.
