Help Kyrie Get a Life-Saving Liver Transplant

My name is Crystal McVay Parker I am making this GoFundMe on behalf of my close family friend Cheri Steffens 22 year old daughter Kyrie. She is on life support and in need of a liver transplant asap. Cheri has been an amazing asset to the Shasta County Community as a lot of people know her from volunteering at the animal shelter in Shasta Lake City and she is an amazing mother who cares deeply for her kids. It breaks my heart to even see this happen to her young and amazing daughter. Please help her daughter have a chance at life. She is so young. Anything I know will help and will be greatly appreciated. I just set the amount I did right now but we might change it cause I honestly don’t know how much something like this would cost but I can imagine the panic and stress her mom is under with this happening to her daughter. All the money will go to her mom Cheri to help with her life saving efforts to save her daughter.

5/15/2025 post by her mom Cheri Update on Kyrie..

She was rushed to the hospital after she passed out at work.. her blood pressure was too low and once she got to the hospital they realized she had internal bleeding and her spleen had ruptured due to a blood clot bursting.. she is also have trouble with her liver function.. she is on a ventilator and they had to use heated blankets to raise her temp core because it was dangerously low..

I was able to see her for a short time but since visiting hours don’t start till 7 am I am hanging out on my car at the hospital just in case things go south..

Keep her your prayers and send some positive vibes her way.. I will update when I can..

5/16/2025 post by her mom Cheri

Update #2 on Kyrie..

She is still sedated and on life support..

It was unknown she had a severe liver disease that’s been going on for awhile(no she is not a drinker)spleen kept it at bay until it ruptured yesterday and everything went downhill from there.. the drs are guessing she had a infection at one point but it still unknown..

They are still waiting to close her up but she is still bleeding internally..

We are waiting to see which hospital she will transfer to because she needs a liver specialist.. she needs a liver transplant..

Because we are literally going min by min hour by hour we are hopeful of a positive outcome.. she hasn’t been put on the list yet because we need to see a liver specialist..

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers

UC Davis is out.. they don’t take Kyrie’s or my insurance.. we would have to pay out of pocket 50% for the liver transplant..

***UPDATE 3 So far she is not a candidate for the transplant.. waiting for the 3 hospitals to look over her charts.. it’s not consider emergent at this point but it could change.. she goes in for surgery in a hour to find the bleed..***

5/16/2025

Kyrie’s surgery went well and they sutured the tiny bleed.. she will be going in for another surgery tomorrow to make sure her blood is coagulating at 8 am.. thanks for all the text messages, calls and fb messages.. I have been a wreck all day.

Update 5/17/2025 made by her Grandmother “Cheri’s Mother”

Kyrie Jewett has spiked a temp no surgery today. Please continue prayers and support for Kyrie and her family.

Update 5/17/25 from Cheri in the Shasta Lake Animal Shelter Facebook 

My daughter Kyrie reminds me every time she wants to help me at the shelter “Mom I am the reason you do this” ..

She is right.. she had an assignment in the 8th grade to volunteer to do something for the community.. she was only to volunteer on one Sat and next thing you know we both volunteered every Sat for 2 years.. and she loved every minute of it.. 

I am going to be taking some time away from the shelter because my daughter is in the hospital due to some unexpected events and she needs me.. 

She needs my undivided attention~Cheri

5/17/2025 Update by Cheri 9:14am

Update #4 on Kyrie.. She spiked a fever last night and surgery was postponed due to the fact her wound is still oozing.. she Is more sedated then yesterday.. Still no word from a transplant team of the 3 hospitals because of her prognosis.. she has to meet the criteria for a liver transplant but it could change at any moment.. we are still going minute by minute and hour by hour..

Update - 

Kyrie may have a bed at a CPMC in San Francisco.. it could be a few days or within hours she heads there****

UPDATE 

on Kyrie Her levels are getting better but they are not quite where they are supposed to be at but they are getting there.. They are lowering her on the ventilator slowly but surely right now it’s at 40%.. 

 She is still running a high fever and if it goes up anymore they are going to put ice packs on her to help bring her fever down.. She has a “soft” hold at CPMC Hospital in San Francisco.. 

they will look at her lab results tomorrow morning.. Even though they are full the “soft” hold guarantees her a bed.. they will make room for her.. 

To all my Safeway crew members past and present for checking in on Kyrie.. she was born, raised and now works there so they have known her most of her life.. 

and thanks to all management for texting to check on Kyrie.. your support is nothing short of amazing she has her own #teamkyrie.. 

 To all my friends and family for checking in on me making sure I am eating, showering and somewhat sleeping I am hoping tonight will be better.. 

 Same goes for all the nurses and drs at Mercy for also checking in on me and making sure I am taking care of myself.. and thanks for doing an amazing care with Kyrie. . Hoping for more positive tomorrow..

UPDATE 5/18/2025 #7 on Kyrie.. They had to place ice packs on her last night due to her high fever.. She just went into surgery and they are going to attempt to close her abdomen up… that is if she isn’t still oozing(sorry for using that term but it is what it is).. 

they will also be biopsying her liver to see the cause of all this.. From what the Dr just told be her body has been fighting this off for a number of years because her immune system was good however since her spleen ruptured all hell broke loose.. 

 Prayers up and positive energy Kyrie’s way❤️ ****I am posting positive pics of Kyrie none of her with tubes all over the place.. I want people to see the positive side of Kyrie**** ****

UPDATE #8!!! Kyrie has a bed waiting for her!!!! We will know within 24 hours when she will be transported there!!!! ****

Update - Cheri - It’s a waiting game now.. I will be traveling to San Francisco by myself and staying in a hotel across the street.. they do give a discount for families in this situation however I do not know how long Kyrie will be there and everything cost money at this point.. I will update when I head out..

Update 

The amount of support with what is going on with Kyrie is nothing short of amazing.. She has no idea how many people are rooting for her.. her coworkers, management team she works with, friends and family.. but most importantly a community has come together supporting her.. she is going to be needing a liver transplant.. her current liver is too far gone.. the dr did a biopsy on it to see that caused it.. I have for years my focus has been shelter animals at the shelter most you know it’s Friends of Shasta Lake Animal Shelter-Shasta Lake, Ca and the community stepped up time and time again to share my posts.. but there is 2 people that have always shared my posts Robbie C Hosie Jr. and Joetta Ferguson.. Well these 2 amazing people have seen the posts on my daughter and stepped up to share what is going on with my daughter via GoFundMe me.. I came to all stops and had to make my daughter my priority because of the recent medical emergency that came out of the blue.. My community has stepped up which is nothing short of amazing. I am at loss of words.. the nurses at the hospital told me they have seen all the posts regarding my daughter and her situation.. my heart is full.. my community went from supporting me to getting dogs out to getting the word out on my daughter via all the Redding community pages on FB.. And of course thank to my long time family friend Crystal McVay Parkerwho I consider my little sister for stating the GoFundMe and updating all Kyrie’s progress on the page.. It’s hard for me to ask for help when I always try and figure out what i can do because I am so independent.. I want to truly thank all these people for having my back.. I am not alone I have so much support it’s unbelievable.

5/19/2025 update 

UPDATE #9 Kyrie has been excepted to the CMPC in San Francisco.. once a a bed opens up we will be off.. it could happen at any moment I can leave on a moments notice.. I contacted our Union and was able to get Kyrie’s insurance info and the hospital has it in file now.. she has always been on mine but will still keep her on it.. now she has dual insurance.. Just waiting on the dr to sign the leave of absence paperwork … 

 A social worker is getting her on MediCal and Partnership so whatever the insurance doesn’t pay they will cover it.. that is the plan. Thanks again for everyone’s support.. it was a rocky ride in the beginning but it’s smoothing out and everything is coming together… 

 ****UPDATE #10 they put Kyrie on an eeg(a cap on her head) to see how much brain activity is going on.. they also took her down for a brain scan to be sure there were no blood clots..none were found but she will be going back for another scan tomorrow morning to be sure****

Update 

JUST GOT THE NEWS!!! Kyrie has a bed waiting for her!!!!!!!!! She will be heading down there sometime tonight!!!!!!!

5/20/2025

Kyrie and Cheri have made it to CPMC ♥️♥️ keep the prayers and blessings coming. 

UPDATE #11 on Kyrie.. She has settled into her bed and has been taken off sedatives and pain meds.. for the last few days she hasn’t been responsive since when a nurse tries to wake her.. for the first few day she would respond to me by squeezing my hand but that has stopped.. 

she hasn’t woken up at all which is concerning.. They are going to give her a few days for all the meds to flush her system and see how responsive she will be.. She has bitten her tongue twice and so that had to put a tube guard in her mouth.. So here we wait I will update when i have more info..

UPDATE #12 on Kyrie. The liver specialist did endoscopy on Kyrie to see what her liver looked like and to make sure there were no bleeds.. 

 She is still not waking up so hopefully tomorrow will be different.. He wants to possibly do a shunt in liver to avoid a transplant but he wants to see her awake.. she isn’t as jaundice looking which I am happy to see.. the dr is trying to do everything possible to avoid it if he can.. 

 I want to explain something about my daughter.. she is a 22 year old adult who is a introvert thet keeps to herself .. i can’t control what she does in can only coach her and she doesn’t live with me so I am finding out things she has been doing after her dad, step mom and I talked.. 

 No she isn’t doing drugs but she eats like crap(which I knew), drinking energy drinks(NOS) and vaping which her dad and didn’t know)all of which the dr knows and it won’t affect her if she needs a transplant.. a lifestyle change is going to happen.. 

she has a team of “moms” work and friends that are going to look out for Kyrie.. it’s going to be a positive intervention because if we push she will push back.. She was absolutely lucky she was where she was where she was at when she passed out with 2 management teams because if she would have been by herself in a the fuel station, walking home from work by herself or sleeping because I would be planning a funeral instead of her being in a hospital because she was bleeding out in her abdomen.. 

I am counting my blessings she is still here with me.. Keep Kyrie in your prayers #kyriestrong

5/22/2025

UPDATE #13 on Kyrie.. I was out of the room for maybe 5 min.. I walked in her room to see nurses and drs everywhere.. I was looking for her dad and turned around and asked what’s going on???? She coded and they had to preform CPR.. thankfully it was only once and pressure went back to normal.. The dr has no idea what caused it and baffled.. she was being moved around in her bed by her nurse.. he has no explanation and will be running tests .. Kyrie is good now but keep her in your prayers #Kyriestrong

5/23/25

UPDATE #14 on Kyrie My Aunt Nancy came to visit with Kyrie today.. I appreciate all who can support me when I am on my own because her dad is commuting when he isn’t working.. This may be TMI for some people but this update shows how well she is doing.. 

 She did have a bowel movement and lots of urin pass her body so it’s a positive because we are waiting for all the meds she was taking to pass through her body because of her cirrhosis of the liver.. Had a great talk with the nurse practitioner and she is heading in the right direction.. 

 She still hasn’t woken up but she has blinked her eyes multiple times when asked by the nurse.. I was so excited to see her do that.. she is in there and she is listening.. 

After having 3 surgeries in 5 days her body just needs time to recoup that’s why she has not woken up yet.. Once she wakes up then the process of her liver transplant will start to happen.. just need her to wake up.. Just happy things are going in the right direction with a few bumpy roads.. #Kyriestrong

5/24/25

Day 10 Update #15 on Kyrie 

 Kyrie has not woken up yet but when she either gets shifted around in her bed or getting her teeth brushed her eyes open a little bit and when I ask her to blink her eyes she does it multiple times.. When Kyrie gets frustrated with me she calls me “bruh” and I was telling the nurse this.. 

as the respiratory therapist is brushing her teeth I said she probably think “bruh” what the heck are you doing I am sleeping.. she blinked her a couple times and I laughed.. she can hear me.. She starts to raise a temp mid afternoon and they have been giving her a small dose children’s Tylenol and that seems to be helping.. and she is also on antibiotics.. 

 I will doing updates in the afternoon because it is easier.. #Kyriestrong

Day 11 UPDATE #16 on Kyrie… She still hasn’t woken up yet but when getting moved around or her teeth brushed.. But today she opened her eyes wider.. more of a distress of uncomfort when they were changing a piece to her face of the ventilator.. 

I can imagine how scared she is because she had a tear come down.. But on a positive note when I was rubbing her hand she opened her eyes wide and I was just talking to let her know I was there.. another tear streamed down.. i cried with her.. People are messaging me if I am ok.. it’s really hard to see my own child where she is at.. it’s heartbreaking.. 

 i have to stay strong.. I am getting enough sleep and eating healthy.. I have my coffee in the morning and drink water the rest of the day.. Apple slices dipped in peanut butter is what I am eating to keep my energy going.. #Kyriestrong

5/25/25

Day 12 UPDATE #17 on Kyrie 

 Still no change on her.. she is still opening her eyes when she hears voices.. Today her stepmom gave her a compliment on seeing her beautiful eye.. she blinked her eyes once for no and I laughed.. 

I said are you just being stubborn like always she blinked twice for yes.. that’s my girl.. She is trying to talk and she is a little frustrated she can’t communicate with being on the ventilator unless she blinks her eyes..one day at a time Punkin.. 

 Since her dad and stepmom are hear i am letting spend time with her so i am doing a lot walking.. #Kyriestrong

5/27/25

Day 13 UPDATE #18 on Kyrie… She is getting more alert by opening her eyes wide open.. 

still blinking one for no and two for yes.. the nurse asked Kyrie if she could close her eyes on her own no blink no nothing she was standing her ground not closing her eyes. lol She is having more movement with her body now and had a little occupational therapy to have her try and move a little.. one step at a time.. 

 Giving her dad and stepmom more time with her I have done a lot of walking.. after visiting with Kyrie I laid down on my hotel bed just to rest a little.. 

after almost 2 weeks going full speed ahead making sure Kyrie was ok I crashed for about a hour and half.. my body was telling me to take a break.. Kyrie is moving along slowly but surely.. #Kyriestrong

5/28/25

Day 14 UPDATE #19 on Kyrie.. I walked into her room and seen a significant movement with her body.. her eyes wide open.. 

 This morning the nurse practitioner was able to get Kyrie to respond with squeezing his hand.. 

he is seeing a big improvement with her.. They have started occupational therapy and used a lift to put her in a chair.. coaching her along by opening her eyes and raising her neck by herself.. 

she did absolutely amazing. Since she has been on ventilator for 2 weeks and is really uncomfortable with it now and gagging a bit they are going to do a tracheotomy and have the tube go through her throat so when they take her off the ventilator they don’t have intubate her again through her throat because it isn’t good.. 

if she doesn’t do well off the ventilator they can just reattach it to her tracheotomy.. She is getting stronger and stronger everyday.. #Kyriestrong

If anything is off updating wise please reach out to her mom! I’m working hard to keep this updated! I will be limited Thursday to Monday but I should have good service to stay on top of it but I do have an event I’m doing this week so I want to stay as transparent as I can thru out this journey. - Crystal McVay Parker ♥️♥️ Thank You everyone for continued support, shares, and prayers.