Our Story

About four months ago, our 20 year old daughter Sarah discovered she had a rare kidney disorder called Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome (LPHS). This disorder was discovered by
Dr. Kevin Ferentz, Director & Chief of Clinical Operations Associate Professor and
Dr. Marc Brazie, Nephrologist at the University of Maryland-Family Medicine Department. This Department along with the Nephrology and Pain Management Departments have been fantastic in trying to help Sarah. There is no cure, but the many ideas that come from the University of Maryland Hospital – Family Medicine Department will lend a hand in helping Sarah through it all! Take a moment and read an explanation of LPHS and its treatments written by Dr. Marc Brazie. Hopefully, with more testing, trials, and research there will be more to offer the 700 plus patients that endure this painful disorder.

We have been with our daughter through it all and it’s been very, very difficult and painful. As a parent, there is a heartache that you cannot even imagine when you see your child in such pain and there is nothing you can do! But with the help of both the Family Medicine and Nephrology Departments and the support and comfort of our incredible doctors, Dr. Ferentz and Dr. Brazie, we believe Sarah can and will be helped! Just recently, Dr. Thelma Wright joined these two doctors and is also aiding Sarah in providing pain management of this disorder. These doctors outshine any doctors that we have dealt with through this whole experience. Most people don't know of this disorder, most doctors don't either. But both Dr. Ferentz & Dr. Brazie, who discovered this disorder, have excelled at always being by her side when she needed them and going above & beyond to help her through this ordeal. During Sarah’s five day stay and the kidney biopsy she had to endure, they treated her with the respect, understanding, care, and consideration that she so needed.

We have a couple of friends (they know who they are) who over this past couple of weeks and during the most trying of times have shown us what friendship is all about. We are grateful to them for their support of Sarah and our family and treasure their friendship. We are reminded of them by a song by Tracey Lawrence “You find out who your friends are” and it’s so true! Everyone is busy, but our friends, business associates, and clients have taken the time to provide us with comfort. We hug each of you and thank you!

Because we see what they have been doing and are so touched by their dedication, we want to lend a hand in offering the Department other means to help Sarah and others like her with rare kidney disorders/diseases and other health issues. So, we are asking from the bottom of our hearts for your help! We have set up a PayPal account to collect donations. All funds raised will go to the University of Maryland Hospital – Family Medicine and its specialized department. Unfortunately, because we are not non-profit, but parents trying to do what they can to help their child, we are unable to provide a receipt for those of you wanting to use this as a tax deduction. But we can give you our heartfelt thanks and utmost gratitude for helping our daughter and others!!

We would appreciate it if you would help spread the word by sharing this information via email and word of mouth. Our special website and our rolling advertisement will be hitting the streets in a week or so. This will be the first outdoor mobile advertising fundraiser on wheels and we hope it will gain a lot of attention to help our daughter with her rare disorder and Dr. Ferentz at University of Maryland - Family Medicine. He and his department exhibit the compassion, care and consideration that every parent of a sick child needs. They have taken care of our daughter as if she were their own. We so appreciate all that they have done and will continue to do to help Sarah - who wants to become a nurse someday - through this and to gain her life back.

We have been blessed by these doctors and by the many friends, families, and businesses that have offered to help us raise funds! Thank you for the taking time to donate!