A Belleview couple is on a mission to help their teenage son who is suffering from a devastating medical condition. And a good friend of the family has hit the ground running as part of that noble mission.
Chris and Leona Yawn are desperately searching for a kidney donor for their son, Cole Tumey, who is a senior at Village View Christian Academy. He is suffering from end-stage renal disease and the kidney Leona donated to him when he was just two years old is failing rapidly, so time is of the essence to find another donor.
Leona started a Facebook page titled Team Cole and had gotten some possible leads for donors from the social media effort. But friend Tracy Gooden, whose son, Matthew, played T-ball with Cole and has been friends with him ever since, wanted to do something as well. So after realizing on a recent night while lying in bed that she had to do something to help Cole, Gooden talked with Leona and vowed to get heavily involved in the search for a donor.
That led to an emotional post on her Facebook page Wednesday morning that clearly shows her intentions to be a workhorse member of Team Cole. In the social media post, which is titled “Kidney Donor Needed!” and already has been shared more than 200 times, Gooden makes it clear that her goal is simple – a new kidney for Cole by Christmas.
“There is someone out there that is a match,” Gooden wrote. “Let’s give Cole the best Christmas ever and find him that kidney.”
Gooden, who has known Cole and his parents since 2006, said the 17-year-old enjoyed 15 healthy years after receiving one of Leona’s kidneys. But this past spring, for some unknown reason except possibly damage from the many medications Cole has to take, the kidney started to fail. Cole was forced to start dialysis at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville three times a week, with each session lasting five hours. Gooden wrote that he was then admitted for his 31st surgery and a port was placed for him to be able to do dialysis at home.
The port initially failed and had to be repaired, but after that issue was taken care of and some healing took place, Cole finally was able to do peritoneal dialysis at home. Unfortunately, it doesn’t completely do the job, so he still goes to Shands on Thursdays for treatment.
Gooden said the kidney issue also is causing other issues for Cole, such as high blood pressure, seizures and hearing impairment. But those things haven’t stopped him from being an honor student and an avid sports enthusiast. And Cole – who also serves as a big brother to Cage – taught himself to play the guitar and performs with the band at New Identity Community Church in Belleview on Sunday mornings.
And earlier this year, despite having to miss a great deal of school for medical appointments – and to the surprise of his parents – Cole was voted by his peers as homecoming king at Village View Christian Academy.
“He’s such a great kid,” Gooden said. “He just loves the Lord and he’s got such a wonderful attitude.”
Leona, who works as a nurse at The Villages Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic, said she appreciates everyone who has responded to the Team Cole Facebook page. And she’s extremely thankful to have Gooden working alongside her family in the effort to find a kidney donor.
“You really find out who your friends are in something like this,” she said. “It’s so nice when someone says they are going to do something and they follow through with it. We really appreciate Tracy’s Facebook post and her efforts to help Cole.”
As for her son – Leona calls him an inspiration who constantly has a smile on his face – she might have summed it up best on the Team Cole Facebook page when she wrote about prayer rocks that were created by Pastor Don Vining and his daughter, Brittany Bryner.
“If you find these prayer rocks, please take one and pray for his strength, God’s mercies and the hope of a new kidney and longevity for the kidney that he has,” Leona wrote. “With God, all things are possible. Love to everyone and thank you for your prayers,” she added in another post.
Cole has Type B blood and can receive a kidney from a person with Type O or Type B blood, Gooden wrote in her post, adding that medical personnel at Shands will complete the screening. She said there’s an application process and anyone over the age of 18 can complete the forms to move ahead with the process.
Those interested in finding out if they are a match can contact Leona at (352) 598-9260. They also can visit the Team Cole Facebook page by clicking HERE. Cole’s GoFundMe account can be reached by clicking HERE. All Facebook users also are asked to please read Gooden’s post on her personal page and then share it with as many friends as possible. You can reach that post by clicking HERE.
