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Help Nick fight Pulmonary Fibrosis

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Nick - an amazing husband, father of 3 kids and 3 step kids, son, brother, and friend, needs your help...

In February 2021, Nick contracted COVID-19 but unlike most of us who bounced back after a few weeks, Nick did not recover easily. Post-COVID, Nick began experiencing difficulties breathing, and was referred to a Pulmonologist who gave Nick life-altering news - he has Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).

IPF is a progressive disease that impacts the lungs in various ways. Lung scarring and/or inflammation make it difficult for the lungs to adequately absorb oxygen. This causes shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing, and many other daily annoyances.

Nick continued to have regular lung scans to monitor progression. In the Spring 2022, Nick was hit with COVID-19 once again, this time leading to a collapsed lung and development of an Empyema (large cyst) on his right lung. After a long recovery, he was referred to specialists at Temple University Hospital where he was diagnosed with severe fibrosis of both lungs and informed his only path to recovery would be an eventual lung transplant.

By March 2023, the disease had progressed rapidly. Simple activities that once came easily, like walking or teaching, became extremely difficult. Nick was required to carry around portable oxygen to help get through and recover from routine tasks or when he became short of breath.

By June 2023 the disease had taken over. Nick now relied on oxygen 24/7 and his overall health declined. Walking, teaching, standing, animated conversations, all became a struggle. Without the supplemental oxygen, Nick would not be able to do any of it.

In August 2023, Nick met with the Temple Lung transplant team. They determined his left lung was worse than his right, but due to the progression of the disease, they told Nick he would need a double lung transplant.

Currently, Nick is on the transplant list awaiting a single or double, whichever is available first. Nick will continue to make the trek down to Temple for appointments and testing until he receives the phone call to schedule his surgery.

The road ahead is long. Post-surgery, Nick will spend 2-4 weeks in the hospital recovering and then will need to travel to Temple for weekly follow-up trips throughout the first year. When not traveling for appointments, Nick will be strictly quarantined at home to avoid complications and will need to take a year of anti-rejection medications.

Since every case is different, it is unknown how long it will take Nick to recover, how many trips he'll have to continue to make to Temple, and how long he will be out of work.

If you are reading this, I guarantee there has been a time when Nick has been there for you. He's helped all of us through life, whether through advice, a laugh, reassurance, a helping hand - as a role model, as a father, as a friend, as a son, as an uncle, brother, cousin, teammate, co-worker, bar buddy, teacher, coach, and as an amazing human being. It is our time to be there for Nick and help provide him with the ability to breathe so Nick can continue to be Nick. This gift will help Nick and his family make numerous trips and overnight stays to Temple and lessen any financial stress so Nick and his family can focus on what they need to - Nick's recovery.
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Donations 

  • V Ken Marion
    • $50
    • 1 yr
  • Jen Campoli Murphy
    • $1,000
    • 1 yr
  • Dale Dalla Verde
    • $100
    • 1 yr
  • william briggs
    • $250
    • 1 yr
  • Brooke Keane
    • $75
    • 1 yr
Donate

Organizer and beneficiary

Chris Onysko
Organizer
Vestal, NY
Jamie Greco
Beneficiary

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