We are creating this GoFundMe to help raise funds for Dave Blevins (Blizz to many family members and friends) while he fights non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis. The Blevins family has been dealing with multiple devasting diagnoses recently. Not only is Dave battling this horrible disease and macular degeneration, but his brother is battling cancer.

Dave graduated from Wheelersburg High School in 1978. Dave has been an active supporter of the Wheelersburg athletic department for over 15 years. He has become a staple on the football field and has impacted the lives of hundreds of our youth as a positive role model. Not seeing his smile along the sidelines is greatly missed by both players and spectators.

Living in a small rural area offers several great advantages; unfortunately, nearby medical care is not one of them. Dave must travel over 90 minutes for all of his treatments and consultations. This does mean 2-3 trips a week. Sometimes overnight stays are required.

What does this diagnosis mean to Dave and his health? It means he needs a liver transplant. The family hopes to find a living donor as they know the uncertainty of going on the liver transplant waiting list can mean years before one comes available. Dave is having several challenges now. He is in the hospital now, receiving a blood infusion and other medications to help him through this waiting period. Every week he has to have several liters of fluid drained from his body due to his liver not functioning properly.

I was curious about how much this type of treatment may cost and let my fingers do some typing on Google. While there are several factors that can impact the cost of this procedure, based on the different sites I viewed, the cost is between $550,000 to $875,000. Dave has insurance, but it only pays up to 80% of "approved" costs. This does not take into account the gas for the multiple appointments every week, and numerous hotel stays needed during this process.

Any funds raised by this GoFundMe will go toward expenses incurred by Dave and his family during this difficult time. Any donation is greatly appreciated. Based on the estimated costs, Dave's out-of-pocket expense can be well over $100,000.

If you would like information on becoming a living donor for Dave, more information can be found at WexnerMedical.OSU.edu/liverdonor.