Expenses to Care for My Sister’s Transplant

Hello! My name is Kelsey, and I am attempting to raise money to take some burden off my family during a stressful time. My sister, Christine, is a Rhode Island resident awaiting a liver transplant at the Ohio State University Medical Center. She was recently medically transported to Ohio from West Virginia to be under the care of a major level-one trauma hospital. Here, she underwent extensive testing to be listed as a transplant recipient and suffered through pre-operative procedures to ensure the greatest possible outcome.

Christine was given three months to live without a transplant. My mother recently had a heart attack in December of 2022 and is suffering from the immense stress of traveling to be by my sister’s side. Ohio is over 700 miles from our small home state of Rhode Island and Christine is alone during the scariest moments of her lifetime. Hearing that your sister's days are numbered, combined with the financial burden that comes with getting a transplant so far from home has taken a toll on our family. Additionally, we had a terrible experience trying to obtain health insurance for my sister during this health scare. She was only covered by a small "pay as you go" plan and needed to enroll in Medicaid through Rhode Island as she has been unable to work. The pushback from large insurance corporations was debilitating. She is so sick she cannot leave the hospital in Ohio, and our options became limited. Ohio state health insurance plans were not willing to pay for her care as she is not a resident, and Rhode Island would only cover procedures closer to home. It was not until my mother,and I worked alongside the state representatives and Medicaid lawyers that the hospital and insurance companies agreed. All the while, my sister's health deteriorated, and her situation became dire. Thankfully, her transplant procedure has been covered through insurance and she has been placed on the transplant list. While this is a tremendous weight lifted off our shoulders, the coming post-operative months will bring substantial financial burdens.

It is with great humility and pure desperation that I turn to GoFundMe. I am aware that my mother would stop at nothing to help my sister and me. She has taken on housing costs for the required one year of close evaluation following a transplant, as well as expensive immunosuppressant medication and transportation to visits will burn through the retirement my mom worked over 35 years to accumulate and is on the cusp of enjoying it. Our family is extremely tight knit and always willing to care and/or assist in any way they can. I am happy to aid in the support of my sister; however, frequent flights to and from Rhode Island and the cost of living included with an Air BnB will be a tremendous feat. I plan to maintain two jobs during this time, and my mother is also continuing to work throughout this experience. Luckily, our jobs allow us to work remotely and take time off as needed, but we need to continue working especially with the additional expenses that are coming our way. This account will help to reduce the additional pressure and stress that comes with flights and our new living situation in Ohio as Christine heals and follows up with her team of doctors.

I am just looking to any outlet for relief for both my mother and my sister. We are tormented by the pain of the transplant process and the emotional roller coaster that unfortunately comes with it. Any consideration or insight regarding what to do moving forward would be equally appreciated as a money donation. A simple positive thought would be just as kind and appreciated.