Give the Gift of Breath!  We are fundraising to help cover the costs associated with Lung Transplant for Tom.  Tom quickly fell ill with terminal, progressive lung disease and has been in ICU for over 3 weeks.  We are lucky to be at UCSF, the best lung transplant surgeons in the country. 

Money raised will be used to help cover costs for family and friends staying by his side in San Francisco.  We stay with him at least 12 hours per day giving encouragement, love, advocating for him, and reminding him of the life he can have with new lungs. 

After transplant, he will need to live in the San Francisco area for at minimum of 6 weeks.  Funds raised will also help cover costs for that so he can have the best, least stressful, recovery possible.  

Tom is unable to talk or write or communicate other than head-nods to yes and no questions.  Having consistent family and support, we are able to help the nurses and doctors understand his needs and desires.  His lungs were no longer able to support him, and he had surgery to implant an ECMO, a machine that oxygenates his blood, as well as a tracheostomy.  He was under sedation for many, many days and now must be awake each day, without sedation or pain medications in order to build up his physical abilities to accept new lungs.  He is working with physical and occupational therapists daily to strengthen his muscles, sit up. and eventually stand (yes, with everything attached!).  It's quite a feat. 

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.