Bridgeport’s ‘Melonie the Miracle’ on track to get a new kidney
Melonie Scott, 43, says she's on track to receive a kidney transplant as a direct result of News 12’s report about her in August, which followed her almost decade-long journey of being on a transplant list.
A Bridgeport dialysis patient says she's grateful for a Thanksgiving miracle.
Melonie Scott, 43, says she's on track to receive a kidney transplant as a direct result of News 12’s report about her in August, which followed her almost decade-long journey of being on a transplant list.
Scott is known as "Melonie the Miracle" for having beaten bladder, bone and kidney cancer. She is a grandmother and has a very special reason to be thankful this holiday season, but at one point it seemed like the end of the road.
"If you can't do anything else, pray,” said Scott. "I ended up on life support. Called my family in to pull the plug."
She pulled through, but was still on dialysis and in dire need of a kidney transplant.
Scott was not able to get the gift of life because she needed extensive dental surgery that wasn't covered by insurance. Dental surgery is often required for organ recipients to reduce the chance of developing a potentially deadly post-transplant infection.
"We were going to doctors and getting $15,000 quotes for dental removal and it was crazy,” said Scott.
Her luck seemed to turn around when Bob Fiondella, founder of the nonprofit Amy's Angels, heard about her story.
He stepped up to get her the dental surgery, enlisting the help of Dr. Ben Miraglia and a team at a local hospital who recently did the surgery.
"That's what life's all about. You try to help each other out,” said Fiondella. "We've built a pretty good network of professionals that are willing to donate their services. Dr. Ben Miraglia is an example of that."
"I can't even put into words how grateful I am for him and his family doing what they do,” said Scott. “It's because of them I can look forward to the future."
This has put her on path to get a kidney in the new year -- that’s the reason why Scott says she’s grateful and 2023 will be the best Thanksgiving yet.
"I couldn't ask for anything else. I thank God for you guys in my life,” says Scott.
A GoFundMe has been made to help raise money to pay for Scott’s kidney transplant.
