Help The Gengo Family Battle Multi-System Organ Failure

My name is Anne Marie Gengo-Helmke and I am writing this on behalf of my brother and his family.

In July 2024, Joe Gengo was admitted to the hospital in Las Vegas, where he resides, due to a dangerous heart rhythm called Ventricular Tachycardia. Once stabilized, he received a defibrillator and was told he has Cardiac Myopathy of unknown origin. He was also told he may need a heart transplant in the future. Joe was feeling good until one day he was not, and he sought medical attention at a hospital in Las Vegas. He sustained cardiac shock, depleting vital organs of oxygen despite being placed on medications, an impella machine (a heart pump), ECMO (a heart and lung machine), and a CRRT machine (continuous renal dialysis).

His wife Paula fought to have his care upgraded to a hospital in California, where Joe is now. We were hopeful he would just need a heart transplant but found out he is currently not a candidate to receive one due to three major organs currently failing. We are trying to put a plan in place for recovering his liver so he can be a candidate for a heart and kidney transplant. Despite all of this, Joe remains alert, oriented, and in good spirits.

We are raising funds to help offset the overwhelming medical expenses they have and will incur even with insurance. When he was airlifted to CA, the family had to pay out of pocket an overwhelming amount. At this point, Paula, Joe’s wife, had to leave her job to be by his side to care for him and coordinate his care. She will have to relocate to CA for an unspecified amount of time.

These donations will allow Joe’s treatment to continue and for Paula and his children to be by his side.

Every contribution, no matter how big or small, will help make a difference. Your support will provide hope and relief to a family fighting the hardest battle of their lives.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts

The Gengo Family