Frannie’s Fund for Lungs
Donation protected
Frannie is a fighter. Frannie is brave. Frannie is ready. Frannie needs new lungs!
Please help to alleviate the financial burden of a double lung transplant for our friend who battles Cystic Fibrosis. At the age of 42, she’s already beat the odds, but a double lung transplant is a now a necessity.
A transplant is Frannie’s new lease on life. Her chance to enjoy life to its fullest and continue to bless those around her. Read on for more of her story below…
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic disease, which causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. In individuals with CF, a defective gene causes a thick buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and other organs, eventually leading to pulmonary failure and death. Frannie, my friend since 7th grade, has been battling Cystic Fibrosis since birth. Not only does she suffer from the complications of CF, but also burkholderia cepacia – a deadly group of bacteria often resistant to common antibiotics, which causes serious respiratory infections and complicates her CF conditions.
Frannie has fought the effects of Cystic Fibrosis as long as she can. Now, the only option to fight this disease requires a double lung transplant. An option that is not only frightening in scope, but also frightening in cost. Frannie needs your help! In just a few short weeks, she is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime as she travels to Duke University Hospital in North Carolina to undergo the initial tests required for a double lung transplant. This week entails a variety of tests - from head to toe - to assess her condition and ultimately place her on the transplant list.
Anyone who knows Frannie understands that her illness has done nothing to slow her down. In her youth, Frannie was active and athletic. She excelled as a long distance runner (she even carried the Olympic torch and completed a full marathon), a cheerleader, a power lifter, and water skier. She graduated from college with a double major in Finance and Marketing. She then spent 21 years working in her chosen career. CF was no match for her determination. Yet today, CF limits her ability to participate in any of those activities. She was forced to quit work during the past year to focus solely on her health. Breathing now takes all of her energy.
Her positive attitude and upbeat outlook on life inspires all who meet her. You’d never know the struggles her days entail: inhaled and oral antibiotics, breathing treatments, hospital stays (over 25 in her lifetime), pic lines, the inability to gain weight, lack of energy, and a lung capacity of just 21% would seemingly knock the life and light right out of any ordinary person. But Frannie is anything but ordinary.
Her constant smile, positive attitude, and words of encouragement to all she meets make a lasting impression. Her zeal for life is contagious. You can’t help but smile when she’s around. Frannie is a true breath of sunshine to all she meets. In the midst of her struggles she strives to care for others, whether it’s a kind word, a text checking in to see how your day is going, surprise flowers dropped off on your doorstep, or one of her famous homemade cards with expressions of love, you’d never know how tumultuous her health condition truly is.
Last year, Frannie met and married the love of her life, Ryan, and his girls Sydney and Lydia. In the past year, Ryan has stood by her side in and out of the hospital. He has become her voice when she was too sick to have her own, her health advocate, her support, her cheerleader, and her friend. The double lung transplant process not only affects Frannie, but Ryan and the girls too. The transplant requires a three-month stay in North Carolina after the actual transplant occurs, not only for Frannie but for an additional caregiver as well. This means that Ryan must leave his job to be by Frannie’s side as she heals. Three months without an income. Three months away from their girls. A sacrifice of love…not only is this transplant for Frannie, but for her new family as well.
In addition to Ryan, Frannie’s parents, Gary and Alice, will also spend time away from home, their grandkids, their jobs, and their pets to provide Frannie with the necessary assistance a lung transplant requires. Part of the transplant process requires proof of funds that the entire process from beginning to end is covered. Thankfully, Frannie has health insurance to help cover a portion of the transplant cost, but the numerous other expenses - loss of income, hospitalizations after the transplant, medications, airline flights, food, and lodging in North Carolina - are an ever present worry for Frannie.
It’s our turn to bless Frannie. It’s our chance to show her how much we love and support her as she embarks on this new chapter in life. No amount is too small and any amount of support you can provide is appreciated! Help Frannie continue to be a breath of sunshine in this world! Let’s help Fund Frannie’s Lungs!
Please help to alleviate the financial burden of a double lung transplant for our friend who battles Cystic Fibrosis. At the age of 42, she’s already beat the odds, but a double lung transplant is a now a necessity.
A transplant is Frannie’s new lease on life. Her chance to enjoy life to its fullest and continue to bless those around her. Read on for more of her story below…
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic disease, which causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. In individuals with CF, a defective gene causes a thick buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and other organs, eventually leading to pulmonary failure and death. Frannie, my friend since 7th grade, has been battling Cystic Fibrosis since birth. Not only does she suffer from the complications of CF, but also burkholderia cepacia – a deadly group of bacteria often resistant to common antibiotics, which causes serious respiratory infections and complicates her CF conditions.
Frannie has fought the effects of Cystic Fibrosis as long as she can. Now, the only option to fight this disease requires a double lung transplant. An option that is not only frightening in scope, but also frightening in cost. Frannie needs your help! In just a few short weeks, she is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime as she travels to Duke University Hospital in North Carolina to undergo the initial tests required for a double lung transplant. This week entails a variety of tests - from head to toe - to assess her condition and ultimately place her on the transplant list.
Anyone who knows Frannie understands that her illness has done nothing to slow her down. In her youth, Frannie was active and athletic. She excelled as a long distance runner (she even carried the Olympic torch and completed a full marathon), a cheerleader, a power lifter, and water skier. She graduated from college with a double major in Finance and Marketing. She then spent 21 years working in her chosen career. CF was no match for her determination. Yet today, CF limits her ability to participate in any of those activities. She was forced to quit work during the past year to focus solely on her health. Breathing now takes all of her energy.
Her positive attitude and upbeat outlook on life inspires all who meet her. You’d never know the struggles her days entail: inhaled and oral antibiotics, breathing treatments, hospital stays (over 25 in her lifetime), pic lines, the inability to gain weight, lack of energy, and a lung capacity of just 21% would seemingly knock the life and light right out of any ordinary person. But Frannie is anything but ordinary.
Her constant smile, positive attitude, and words of encouragement to all she meets make a lasting impression. Her zeal for life is contagious. You can’t help but smile when she’s around. Frannie is a true breath of sunshine to all she meets. In the midst of her struggles she strives to care for others, whether it’s a kind word, a text checking in to see how your day is going, surprise flowers dropped off on your doorstep, or one of her famous homemade cards with expressions of love, you’d never know how tumultuous her health condition truly is.
Last year, Frannie met and married the love of her life, Ryan, and his girls Sydney and Lydia. In the past year, Ryan has stood by her side in and out of the hospital. He has become her voice when she was too sick to have her own, her health advocate, her support, her cheerleader, and her friend. The double lung transplant process not only affects Frannie, but Ryan and the girls too. The transplant requires a three-month stay in North Carolina after the actual transplant occurs, not only for Frannie but for an additional caregiver as well. This means that Ryan must leave his job to be by Frannie’s side as she heals. Three months without an income. Three months away from their girls. A sacrifice of love…not only is this transplant for Frannie, but for her new family as well.
In addition to Ryan, Frannie’s parents, Gary and Alice, will also spend time away from home, their grandkids, their jobs, and their pets to provide Frannie with the necessary assistance a lung transplant requires. Part of the transplant process requires proof of funds that the entire process from beginning to end is covered. Thankfully, Frannie has health insurance to help cover a portion of the transplant cost, but the numerous other expenses - loss of income, hospitalizations after the transplant, medications, airline flights, food, and lodging in North Carolina - are an ever present worry for Frannie.
It’s our turn to bless Frannie. It’s our chance to show her how much we love and support her as she embarks on this new chapter in life. No amount is too small and any amount of support you can provide is appreciated! Help Frannie continue to be a breath of sunshine in this world! Let’s help Fund Frannie’s Lungs!
Organizer and beneficiary
Celeste McMurtrey Clawson
Organizer
Idaho Falls, ID
Ryan Crumley
Beneficiary