Gina needs a kidney transplant,post Double Lung Retransplant

Gina received a double lung transplant Sept 17th, 2024. It has been a little while since our last Gina update, so we want to let you know that her lungs are doing great! It has not been easy and she has thrived through 2 post transplant surgeries due to wound infection (along with large skin grafts needed to cover) as well as, blood clots in her legs. Through it all she has remained positive and focused on recovery. It is so incredible to see her on facetime without oxygen, and speak to her without her running out of breath! In addition to these complications, she is in stage 4 kidney failure, and is in need of a kidney transplant that will take place there in Chicago at the same hospital. She is under going dialysis 3 times a week (often going in below zero weather!) but her team wants to wait to list her to allow her to gain some weight and get stronger. Since the new year, all of her deductibles/copays have started up again and well, we all know how fast that addes up. We are planning a get together/FUNdraiser at Riveters 2301 N Dale Mabry Hwy on April 24th, 2025 (6-9 pm) the wonderful Andres, has plegded a portion of food and beverage sales for the night and there will be entertainment by Anthony Barcelo and Gil Machin, and we are so appreciative to them. It will be an awesome event and we hope that you (and everyone you know!) will come out and enjoy the night and share the love. Please spread the word and thank you for your continued support. Please reach out to me or Manuel on facebook or by phone if you would like to help in some way. Love you all. Angie

Original post:

We are reaching out to you with heavy hearts and hopeful spirits to ask for your support in helping our beloved, Gina Oliva Vognet.

Gina is in urgent need of a lung re-transplant, a life-saving procedure that will give her a third chance at life. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of her case, this transplant cannot be done in Tampa where she lives, and she and her husband Curtis are now in downtown Chicago where Northwestern hospital will be performing this surgery.

Gina has been bravely battling chronic rejection, multiple-repeated infections, and ever increasing oxygen dependence (5 ltrs ) since her first double lung transplant when she was just 25 years old, 17 years ago. She was a dental student at the time at Howard University, healthy and excelling in her studies, when she suddenly developed random symptoms and was diagnosed with an aggressive case of rheumatoid arthritis that was attacking her lungs causing pulmonary fibrosis. Specialists rarely see such a case, but in 90 short agonizing days she was listed and received the transplant that saved her life. She again is at this crossroads, only now with the love of her life, Curt, by her side.

This critical medical necessity is made more difficult due to the added expenses of being in a faraway city, where family and friends are not close to help as so many have done all these years and continue to do so despite the distance.

Her mother, Roseanne Oliva, will be going to live with them to help Gina and Curt, in the one-bedroom apartment near the hospital, they have recently secured.

Despite the incredible strength and resilience, she has shown, the financial burden of this procedure is overwhelming. Here are only a few of the hard numbers they are looking at absorbing, while at the same time they and Roseanne must maintain their normal home expenses in Tampa, and we all know covering only that, is not easy in these times. For example, besides regular home costs, her medicine co-pays right now are more than $1000 a month.

Imagine in addition to your regular monthly expenses, having to suddenly incur addition monthlies of:

Chicago rent $4000 (hoping to get a 2-bedroom unknown additional)

Parking $250 (just at the apartment) hospital parking is additional $30 a day

Meals and incidentals $ 1500 est.

They have told her that she should expect to need to stay in Chicago at least a year.

Your generous donation will help cover the costs of the retransplant surgery, post-operative care, medications, and related expenses. Every contribution, no matter how small, brings us closer to our goal and closer to seeing Gina healthy and thriving once more.

Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support. Together, we can make a difference and give Gina the gift of life.