Hi everyone — it’s Sara’s sister (and Robb’s sister-in-law), Andrea, and I’m writing because so many of you have asked and continue to ask how you can help support Robb and his family. Robb, Sara, and their kids have been navigating an incredibly scary and unknown road, and the love, support, and prayers from their “village” have been such a blessing. I wanted to share where things are now and why I’ve set up this GoFundMe.

Robb’s Journey Right Now

As many of you know from the CaringBridge updates, Robb is currently in liver failure (cirrhosis) caused by unmanaged fatty liver disease. He is incredibly grateful to have been able to return to work — yes, he’s back, trying to earn money and save PTO! — and to be at home right now, thanks to the amazing team at New Richmond Hospital who are closely monitoring him. Robb is under their careful watch, with multiple hospital visits each week for blood tests, transfusions, and other treatments to keep him as comfortable and stable as possible.

The hope — and prayer — is that Robb will receive a liver transplant soon. A successful transplant would give him a chance at a much longer and healthier future. But that’s just the beginning: after transplant, recovery typically takes 3–6 months, and Robb will need a full-time caretaker during that time to help manage medications, appointments, and daily needs.

This will mean that both Robb and Sara may be unable to work for many months — not just during the transplant recovery, but also leading up to it, depending on Robb’s health.

Why I’m Asking

Many of you have asked, “What can we do?” Meals, rides, prayers, encouragement — all of it has meant so much to Sara and Robb. Others have asked if financial support might help. The truth is, yes — while they are fine now, the months ahead are uncertain, and the costs will be significant. Robb and Sara have felt guilty receiving financial help currently because they are doing OK and both are able to be back to work. While this regular season of “back to normal” could last for many months, it could also change rapidly.

This GoFundMe is a proactive way to support them so they can focus on Robb’s health, their children, and holding their home together without constant fear about how they will pay the bills during this difficult, unknown time.

The Goal & How It Will Help

I have chosen a goal of $50,000, which will help cover:

And though we hope and pray it never comes to this, Robb has asked us all to be practical. If he is unable to recover, this support could also go toward helping Sara and the kids. A liver transplant is not a guarantee, and Robb’s biggest concern is making sure his small family is cared for if he cannot be here.

This amount will not cover a full 6 months, but it is something!

How You Can Support

Thank you to everyone who has been following Robb’s journey, offering meals, donations, prayers, child care, and emotional support — you are making a difference. Your love gives them strength to keep going.

Thank you for helping create a safety net for Robb, Sara, and their kids as they walk through this hard season. Together, we can carry some of the weight for them so they can focus on what matters most: Robb’s healing and their family’s future.

You can keep up with his medical journey via the CaringBridge link:

https://www.caringbridge.org/site/2df2021d-8dbd-11f0-a67a-ff5bbfb79ee3?utm_source=website_share&utm_medium=share_button&utm_term=&utm_content=link_share_button&utm_campaign=private_home_page

With love and gratitude,

Andrea Swanson

Sara’s Sister / Robb’s Sister-in-Law