A Chance at Life: Help Bre Beat the Odds

Hi, my name is Breanne.

I’m reaching out with a heart full of hope and a spirit that, despite everything, still believes in the beauty of life and the kindness of others.

I was diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) after being sick for quite some time with no clear answers and I’ve spent the last 10+ years battling it.

PBC is a rare, chronic autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the bile ducts in the liver, slowly destroying this vital organ from the inside out leading to progressive liver damage. It’s invisible, relentless, and incurable — and it has shaped every corner of my life. There’s no cure!!! Just symptom management, and in many cases like mine, eventual liver failure.

In 2021, I received the most selfless and life-saving gift from my incredible cousin, who donated 63% of his liver so I could survive. His liver regenerated beautifully within 10 weeks (superhero status, honestly), a true miracle. I will never have enough words to thank him for giving me more time, for giving me a chance to live.

That transplant gave me 3.5 beautiful extra years — years where I got to laugh with friends, be with family, soak in time with my people, and feel the healing energy of live music. Music has always been my lifeline — the thing that keeps my spirit afloat (my soul’s true therapy) Being around music is like being wrapped in light and love; it’s truly the cherry on top of life for me.

But sadly, my journey has taken a hard turn.

My body is now in full rejection of my transplanted liver.

Because PBC is an autoimmune blood disease, it began attacking my new liver almost immediately— the very liver that saved me. Since the transplant, I’ve struggled with constant complications and have been sick more days than not. The medications — the anti-rejection drugs, PBC medications, and others to manage their harsh side effects — have taken a brutal toll on my body.

I’ve been vomiting daily for years. I’ve endured bone-deep pain from head to toe, constant fatigue, and deterioration of my mental health. I’ve lost so much — including my teeth, having spent nearly $50,000 out of pocket to get full dentures before the age of 40 due to the damage caused by years of medication and malnutrition.-which was not exactly on my vision board.

Now, I face another transplant, praying for a second miracle. But this time, things are more complex:

Asking for help is hard. But this is bigger than me.

I am currently on the national liver transplant list. I am blood type O, which means I can only receive a liver from another O-type donor. And because this is a second transplant, the medical team must be extra selective in finding a perfect match to give me the best chance at success. This GoFundMe has been created to help offset the massive costs associated with this process, including:

To make things even harder, my dad passed away this past Christmas Eve- my hero. He also lived with autoimmune illness, and we understood each other on a soul-deep level. Without him, I feel lost. He gave me strength on the hardest days, and navigating this without him is a pain I wasn’t ready for. Our family is grieving and trying to hold each other up during an impossibly difficult time.

My mom, meanwhile, has been my rock — showing up again and again, even when I was in too much pain to be the easiest person to love. Her strength and quiet care have kept me going more times than I can count.

I never imagined I’d have to go through this once, let alone twice.

I am exhausted. I am in pain every day. But I am still here. I still want to dance to music that moves me, to hug my people tightly, to laugh until I cry. I still believe in joy. I deserve a full, beautiful life!

If you can give (in any amount), thank you — from the bottom of my heart. If you can’t, please share this page and help me find a living donor or someone who can contribute. Every action matters. Every share might be the one that saves my life.

You can also follow my journey and get updates on my Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/bresliver

Any funds raised beyond what is needed will be donated to the Canadian PBC Society to support further liver disease research and hopefully, someday, a cure. I do not wish this disease on anyone, and I dream of a future where no one has to endure this pain.

From the bottom of my heart — thank you for reading, for sharing, for caring, and for standing beside me in my greatest time of need. Thank you for helping me believe in miracles — one more time.

With love and gratitude,

Bre