The following story was written and reported by Karin Eagle,
Native Sun News Staff Writer. All content © Native Sun News.
Lakota woman battling lupus; kidney badly needed
By Karin Eagle
Native Sun News Staff Writer
RAPID CITY — After receiving a life saving donation of a kidney in 2003, a young Lakota woman is looking for another donation to save her life.
On April 1, 2003, Woope Claymore, then 19, received a kidney from Rapid City resident, Jim White. Claymore has a disease called lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects various parts of the body, and which is now attacking the previously donated kidney.
Claymore has been on daily dialysis since the first transplant and takes up to forty pills every day to keep her body function.
“I got sick when I was 17-years-old,” explains Claymore. “Then at 19, I got my first transplant from Jim White. That lasted six years. Since then I’ve been on dialysis and doing it myself here at home.”
Claymore was diagnosed with SLE Systemic Lupus Erythemotosis in December of 2000. A Lakota from the Cheyenne River Lakota Tribe, she was named Woope at birth by her maternal grandfather, Sidney J. Keith, which means “Law Giver”.
Woope Claymore, Mniconjou Lakota, has been battling lupus for most of her adult life. The disease has reversed the benefits of her donated kidney requiring the need for another donation. Her family requests consideration. Courtesy photo
Claymore began showing signs of her illness at the age of fifteen when she would break out in rashes over her body whenever she stepped out into the sunlight. Neck pain, nausea, low grade fevers and body aches were accompanying symptoms that led to her family taking her to the Indian Health Service hospital repeatedly, being diagnosed with the flu.
During this time she continued to work and go to school, as she waited for a proper diagnosis. That diagnosis finally arrived due to the diligence of an internist at the emergency room who asked if he could test Claymore for rheumatoid arthritis. During the waiting period for those test results Claymore presented a new rash on her legs. The internist immediately requested testing for lupus which led, finally, to her diagnosis.
After several months of various therapies, January 26, 2001 saw Claymore suffering the first of six congestive heart failures. She was immediately put on chemotherapy which put the lupus in remission.
“She was in and out of the hospital and in August of 2001, she became very ill and they decided to Life Flight us to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and there we stayed until the end of September, “explains her mother, Sydney Claymore.”Make A Wish Foundation contacted us and we went to Disney World October of 2001. From then on we have been doing battle with the disease.”
On December 6, 2002, Woope was able to fulfill a dream she had. She believed that if she were able to touch a buffalo she would be healed. And so, on the tenth anniversary of her parent’s sobriety, The Triple 7 Ranch, which raises buffalo, invited Claymore and her family to visit their young buffalo calf, raised at the ranch from birth.
“So we met Grunt (the buffalo calf), behind the Prairie Edge store, and Woope was able to touch the young Buffalo, while we sang and prayed, it was very moving and beautiful to say the least,” Sydney said.
In 2008, Claymore started having symptoms again and by October of 2009 she lost the use of her transplanted kidney. At this time the family is trying to bring awareness to the need of their daughter for a donor kidney. In a statement made on the Facebook page created for this awareness the family writes:
“Would you please consider being a donor for Woope? She is a beautiful, strong, courageous, and generous soul. She is a loving daughter, sister and mother to her spoiled Shih Tzu "Gucci", also her nieces Wohpe Numpa "Bubu", Katryna, Adreyme, Serentity and her many nieces and nephews, along with being a Great niece, cousin, friend, relative and neighbor....
If you are interested in learning more about living Kidney Donation, Please contact the Avera Transplant Institute
www.AveraTransplant.org or 1-888-692-3960 or (605) 322-7350.
“Please mention Woope Claymore and you will be sent a kit, take it to your doctor and send it back......Wopila Tanka! Thank you very much, Sydney Claymore”
(Contact Karin Eagle at staffwriter@nsweekly.com)
Copyright permission Native Sun News
Join the Conversation
