Our family is facing the hardest fight we've ever known, and we're reaching out for help to give my mom the chance to live the full, beautiful life she deserves.

Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, it eventually caused interstitial lung disease in 2019. Her breathing declined to the point that she is unable to live at home and has been in the ICU at the University of Iowa Hospital for over two months. She is currently on ECMO, a life-support machine that is breathing for her as she waits for the opportunity to receive a double lung transplant. Despite the incredible care she's receiving, we recently received devastating news: she is no longer eligible for a transplant at the University of Iowa and must be transferred to Northwestern Medicine in Chicago to be evaluated as a candidate there.

The only way to get her to Northwestern is through a highly specialized medical transport team—an expense that insurance will not preauthorize and my parents have to pay up front. The cost for this life-saving transfer is $41,000.

This is an impossible amount for our family to shoulder alone, especially with so many additional challenges ahead.

If Northwestern agrees to take her on as a transplant candidate, our mom and dad will be required to relocate to Chicago for an entire year. During this time:

Our dad must live there full-time beside her.

Our mom will require intense follow-up care, rehab, and frequent appointments.

They must continue paying for their home in Knoxville, Iowa, in addition to Chicago housing, food, transportation, and medical expenses not covered by insurance.

The financial burden is overwhelming, but the alternative is unthinkable.

My mom is the strongest, most positive person you could ever meet. Even in the ICU, even on ECMO, she brings light into every room. Nurses and doctors constantly tell us she's their favorite patient because of her joy, gratitude, and resilience—even on the hardest days.

She wants to live.

She wants to breathe without machines.

She wants to go home.

And we're fighting for every chance she has to get there.

How the Funds Will Be Used

Every dollar donated will go directly toward:

Emergency medical transport to Northwestern ($41,000)

Temporary relocation expenses in Chicago (housing, utilities, transportation, food)

Medical bills, medications, and ongoing care related to the transplant

Maintaining their home in Knoxville during the year-long relocation

How You Can Help

No amount is too small—truly.

Sharing this fundraiser is just as valuable as donating.

Our family is deeply grateful for any support, prayers, or encouragement you can offer. Thank you for helping us fight for mom's life and giving her the hope of breathing freely again.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.