A New Breath, A New Life: Help Fund My Double Lung and Liver

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind-hearted Strangers,

My name is Lucas, and I’m reaching out to you today with a heavy heart, but also with hope. I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at birth. I could not eat or digest anything due to my intestines being totally blocked, and backed up due to the CF. At less than 1 day old, the surgeons had to remove my intestines, clean them out, and then resect the good sections that were left, and place them back inside of me. My first month or so of my life was touch and go, spent in the hospital recovering from my near fatal health condition due to the effects of CF on my body before birth, and then the RSV I also had been diagnosed with on top of everything else. While I lived fairly normal (what people saw on the outside) the first 16 years of my life, there were always the several times a day treatments including physical therapy, and medications I had to take, as well as visits to the hospital regularly to monitor my health condition with CF. Were it not for insurance at that point, the average $13,000+ per month medication cost alone would have been too much to bear. Despite the challenges, I always tried to live my life to the fullest, staying active and enjoying every moment with family and friends.

As I reached my early 20’s, little by little new health problems would slowly arise related to CF, and you just learned to try to adapt, and keep up with the new health issues. Now for the past year or so as I approach my 26th birthday, my health has taken a sharp downturn. The disease that I had learned to manage for so long is becoming too much to bear. My lungs have become severely damaged, and my liver is now failing. Simple tasks that used to come easily, like breathing or walking up a set of stairs, has now become a burdensome task. Breathing is something most of us do without thinking… until you can’t. The quality of my life has drastically changed, and the future is uncertain.

After much discussion with my doctors, I’ve been told that the only chance I have to regain my health and my life is through a double lung and liver transplant. This life-saving procedure offers me the hope for the opportunity to breathe freely once again and to live a future that I’ve been afraid I might never see. But, as you can imagine, this transplant comes with a significant financial burden. The unimaginable cost of the surgery, hospital stays, medications, and the post-surgery recovery process is overwhelming. My insurance will hopefully cover some of these expenses, but will also leave a significant gap that my wife and I cannot bridge on our own. My wife is the only person able to work, and provide for us due to my health, and the thought of even more financial burdens on her, is almost too hard to think about.

This is where I need, and am asking for your help. My wife and I are doing everything we can to stay strong, but the financial strain is taking its toll on us. Between the medical costs and time off from work that my wife will need to help care for me, and get me to and from appointments, we’re facing an uncertain future. Your generous donation will go directly toward helping us to cover the costs of the transplant itself, hospital bills, ongoing treatments, and any other expenses that will arise as we navigate this difficult journey.

We really do fully understand that times are tough for everyone, but any contribution, whether large or small will make a world of difference. Your support will not only help us financially, but it will also bring us hope to what is an almost impossible situation. It will remind us that we are not alone in this fight. Whether you donate, share our story, or keep us in your thoughts and prayers, we are deeply grateful for your kindness and generosity.

Thank you for taking the time to read this far, and hear my story. I will be forever grateful for your support, and I will continue to fight for a future where I can breathe easy, live fully, and cherish the time I have with my loved ones. With your help, I believe I can make it through this difficult time and emerge stronger on the other side.

With all our love and gratitude,

Lucas and Angela