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A Heart for Mark Burson
I am writing to let you know about my brother Mark Burson. Six months ago today, April 18th, 2016, Mark was in surgery for 10 hours- at the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His heart was removed and replaced with the total artificial heart. Mark later nicknamed his new heart machine “ART”.
This is not the first time Mark has spent time in the hospital. In his early 30’s, Mark had open heart surgery to replace a mechanical valve. All was fine for the next 14 years. However in 2014, he had a second valve replacement and got a pacemaker. His Ejection Fraction (EF) did not recover and his cardiologist in Honolulu began to discuss the future possibility of a heart transplant. In March 2016, his condition worsened considerably, but he continued working. On his last working day, March 29, 2016, after his wife reached out to his cardiologist in Honolulu, he was told to go to the ER at Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu. They coordinated care with UM for the transplant evaluation and stabilized him for the long flight to Detroit, MI. He and his wife Rie had just one day to say goodbye to their two children, William and Angelina, as they had to leave them behind in Kaua’i. Mark and Rie arrived in Detroit on April 4th. Unable to wait for his appointment, Mark entered UM hospital through the ER, and has been at the hospital since that day. Unfortunately, Mark’s condition was severe; his surgeon determined he could not wait for a donor heart to be transplanted. Mark underwent surgery, survives with “ART” and is alive today because of the incredible medical care from his team of doctors and nurses at UM. These last months have not been easy for Mark and his family, early kidney and liver failure has led to many months of recovery. He is walking now, and working with his physical therapist to be strong for his next surgery- a heart and kidney transplant.
With the love and support of his wife and children, Mark fights each day to get stronger and healthy for this upcoming surgery. He is grateful for his Kaua’i OHANA (OHANA means family) who took care of William and Angelina for a month- especially the Brown family and Kessler family. In May, Rie returned to Kaua’i and was able to move with the children to Michigan in less than a month. Mark has remained positive each day, and believes his heart will be here soon.
Most importantly, Mark wants to help others who may need a transplant just like him. He knows there are more people waiting for a heart than there are donors. He and all of us, his family and friends, hope to spread the word that it is very easy to become a donor. We want to ask each of you to consider joining the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. If you live in Michigan, simply use the link below to sign up to be an organ donor, and place a check in the box to receive your “DONOR Heart” sticker for your driver's license.
Michigan Donor Registry Link
If you think this is important, we ask that you forward this information to all your family and friends. Please make sure to place the “Donor heart” sticker on your drivers’ license, if not medical professionals may not be aware that you are on the registry. Every organ donor saves up to EIGHT lives-it is the ultimate act of compassion!
This gofundme account was started to help with medical costs and insurance costs as Mark and Rie concentrate on coming home from the hospital- hopefully very soon now. Thank you for all the support and prayers- Mark’s sister Leslie Burson Pellerito
I am writing to let you know about my brother Mark Burson. Six months ago today, April 18th, 2016, Mark was in surgery for 10 hours- at the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His heart was removed and replaced with the total artificial heart. Mark later nicknamed his new heart machine “ART”.
This is not the first time Mark has spent time in the hospital. In his early 30’s, Mark had open heart surgery to replace a mechanical valve. All was fine for the next 14 years. However in 2014, he had a second valve replacement and got a pacemaker. His Ejection Fraction (EF) did not recover and his cardiologist in Honolulu began to discuss the future possibility of a heart transplant. In March 2016, his condition worsened considerably, but he continued working. On his last working day, March 29, 2016, after his wife reached out to his cardiologist in Honolulu, he was told to go to the ER at Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu. They coordinated care with UM for the transplant evaluation and stabilized him for the long flight to Detroit, MI. He and his wife Rie had just one day to say goodbye to their two children, William and Angelina, as they had to leave them behind in Kaua’i. Mark and Rie arrived in Detroit on April 4th. Unable to wait for his appointment, Mark entered UM hospital through the ER, and has been at the hospital since that day. Unfortunately, Mark’s condition was severe; his surgeon determined he could not wait for a donor heart to be transplanted. Mark underwent surgery, survives with “ART” and is alive today because of the incredible medical care from his team of doctors and nurses at UM. These last months have not been easy for Mark and his family, early kidney and liver failure has led to many months of recovery. He is walking now, and working with his physical therapist to be strong for his next surgery- a heart and kidney transplant.
With the love and support of his wife and children, Mark fights each day to get stronger and healthy for this upcoming surgery. He is grateful for his Kaua’i OHANA (OHANA means family) who took care of William and Angelina for a month- especially the Brown family and Kessler family. In May, Rie returned to Kaua’i and was able to move with the children to Michigan in less than a month. Mark has remained positive each day, and believes his heart will be here soon.
Most importantly, Mark wants to help others who may need a transplant just like him. He knows there are more people waiting for a heart than there are donors. He and all of us, his family and friends, hope to spread the word that it is very easy to become a donor. We want to ask each of you to consider joining the Michigan Organ Donor Registry. If you live in Michigan, simply use the link below to sign up to be an organ donor, and place a check in the box to receive your “DONOR Heart” sticker for your driver's license.
Michigan Donor Registry Link
If you think this is important, we ask that you forward this information to all your family and friends. Please make sure to place the “Donor heart” sticker on your drivers’ license, if not medical professionals may not be aware that you are on the registry. Every organ donor saves up to EIGHT lives-it is the ultimate act of compassion!
This gofundme account was started to help with medical costs and insurance costs as Mark and Rie concentrate on coming home from the hospital- hopefully very soon now. Thank you for all the support and prayers- Mark’s sister Leslie Burson Pellerito
Organizer and beneficiary
Mark Burson
Beneficiary