Support Duane's Liver Transplant Journey

Hey, my name is Nevada, and I'm asking for your support for my dad, Duane, who needs a liver transplant due to non-alcoholic cirrhosis and liver cancer.

In October of last year, our family got the devastating news of his cirrhosis. After the results from the CT scan, ultrasound, and bloodwork came back, we were told the life-altering news that he has liver cancer.

Last year, he noticed that he was having more frequent nosebleeds, fatigue, and blood in his stool. His doctor ordered bloodwork, which showed his platelets were low, so they decided to run more tests and would continue monitoring his liver since he's a diabetic. After his colonoscopy and endoscopy results came back, he was told the bleeding was caused by high blood pressure due to cirrhosis of the liver and that he would need surgery to have some of his esophageal varices banded in order to stop the internal bleeding.

In January of this year, he had a procedure done, called a radioembolization, where tiny glass beads are filled with radiation and injected into the tumor's blood supply. This was done to prevent the spread of cancer until he's able to get his liver transplant, and since we won't know when that is until he gets a call, he may need to undergo another procedure if the cancer returns.

We're grateful that he was approved last Wednesday for the transplant list, and know this is one step in the long journey ahead. His medical bills from frequent hospital visits, surgeries, and medication have already started piling up, and with the upcoming costs of his liver transplant, his stay in the hospital following surgery, and the lifelong medication he will need to keep his new liver healthy are the reasons I'm asking for your help.

My dad is a hardworking guy in his professional life as well as in his personal life. He's the owner of a local business and is still working from home every day and is the sole provider for our family. He's been caring for his wife, Diane, for almost 9 years following her double amputation, his 17-year-old grandson who has been living with them for 2 years, and for me, his daughter, for over a year after I experienced some hardships. He takes his wife to her appointments, his grandson to school every day, runs errands, grocery shops, and cooks dinner while being the owner of a business and experiencing a combination of life stressors along with having a terminal illness.

My dad has always been an optimistic problem solver. He's the guy people turn to when they need advice, help, or direction from a compassionate, reliable, and honest friend. He's willing to admit when he doesn't have answers, and you can find comfort in knowing he's determined to find a solution. Now it's our turn to show up for him.

I hope you're able to show support by sending words of encouragement, prayers, or by any financial means to help alleviate this source of stress from his life.