Kierstin's Liver Fund

Our daughter is a very special person in our lives. In October 2010, she was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. For those of you that may not know what that is, it is a disease that affects you Gastrointestinal Tract. A flare up can last from a few days up to a month. She cannot eat the things she used to eat because it will "anger" her Crohn's. She is on a very restricted diet and a lot of medicine to keep it under control. Lately, she had been having Crohn's symptoms even while on the medicine. Kierstin went to the doctor and they scheduled a Colonoscopy. The Doctors found her Crohn's to be in a very aggressive stage. So they sent her for a CT Scan of her abdomen. The results came back with more than we all bargained for. Not only was her Crohn's acting up, but they found problems with her heart and liver. Her Aorta, The main vessel that pumps the blood through her body, is becoming calcified. The Doctor says she has the aorta of a 70 year old. The most they can do is put her on medication to slow the process until it is time to put a stent in it. Then we found out that her liver is not doing well.

Kierstin has, what is called, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis or PSC. It is affecting not only her liver, but her bile ducts. Continued destruction of her bile ducts in PSC can lead to end stage liver disease. Without a transplant, she may live up to 10-12 more years. But her PSC is very aggressive and is going downhill very quickly and ultimately may have cut her time down a bit. They only thing that can help our daughter is a transplant. This is not something we ever thought could happen to someone close to us. Our Daughter is a very sweet, loving person. She is a wonderful mother to her 7 year old son, Xavier. She always makes time for everyone else and not herself. It's time for us to make time for her. She can barely get around and do the things she is used to doing. She is a very independent person and now relies on the help of the family to do even the simplest things. We want to be able to get this transplant done because we love her and do not want to lose her. And also because she has a son that loves her and needs her very much.

Kierstin started her own little home business making pendants, earrings, and bracelets. She barely has the energy to sit up and do anything at this point. We need to raise this money to help her. She is not the type of person to really ask for help, which is why we are doing it for her. We will accept and be grateful for anything you are able to donate, even if it is only a prayer. Kierstin is only 30. It's not her time yet and we are determined to keep it that way. Please, if you know her, help her. Even if you dont know her, the help will be greatly appreciated. We want many more years with our daughter. Getting this Transplant will help us achieve that goal.

Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers while we are going through this transitional journey together.