"THIS LITTLE BAND DIRECTOR NEEDS A KIDNEY!"

Thara Memory has performed with the likes of James Brown, Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Harris, Natalie Cole and Joe Williams. His bands have won the Ellington Competition in their categories the last three years in a row. As this is written, Thara is in New York City recording with his star student, jazz phenom Esperanza Spalding. But with all the music he has in him and all the students he has sent on to the best music schools in the country and then to high profile music careers, he needs more than his music and his teaching skills now.

For over four years, Thara has suffered from diabetes. He has lost fingers, the use of his right hand, several toes and half a leg to the disease to date. He requires dialysis treatment every other day. Thara needs to find someone with type "O" blood type, a very big heart and two healthy kidneys – with one to spare. The operation is laparoscopic – meaning no big incisions – and the recovery time for the donor is about two weeks.

We are posting this information on the site in the hopes of drawing a suitable donor out of the woodwork. Thara wants to continue his life's work in music education, and we hope this posting and the video interview on this page help him in his search.

Thanks for all your hard work, Thara, and on behalf of everyone here at Monette, we wish you all the best.

For more information regarding being a possible donor, please contact:

LEGACY TRANSPLANT SERVICES
LIVING DONOR COORDINTOR
LAURIE PHARR, RN
503-413-6553
lpharr@lhs.org