Support Liz to Transplant

Who is Liz?

I am writing this GoFundMe to help Liz reach Active Transplant Status, survive transplant, and recover to live a healthy life.

This #Life4Liz Go Fund Me dual purpose.

1. To purchase a walking assist device called an aLinker to build stamina, endurance, and increase quality of life.

2. To secure the final front bridge. We used the original funding to purchase the lower bridge to help with eating. We hope to now add the top front bridge.

About Liz

Liz had a tough start in life, and it created organ damage. She is a medical warrior with Type 1 diabetes and has been on kidney dialysis for almost four years. Her kidneys function at 6% normal function. With Type 1 diabetes, her pancreas does not produce insulin. She is a strong, creative woman, yet so fragile right now. She is fighting for her life every day.

Liz has been a national and international champion for people with disabilities, she has authored three books to help families, professionals, and friends understand better how live, laugh, and love together.

Liz needs our help.

Liz is in need of tooth repair not covered on our insurance and support for some of the incidentals needed as she works toward a transplant for a pancreas/kidney. Liz is medically complex. We are grateful that her insurance and Medicare have covered much, but there are still many things ongoing and outside of medical needs that are not fully covered.

In April 2022, Liz had a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) seizure upon waking, stood up, and fell on her metal wig clamp. Liz loves to make her own wigs. The metal wig clamp cracked in half, and she then fell face first to the floor with a severe mouth injury, tongue laceration (12 stitches), and a tooth through her lip. We hope to finally fix the damage done from this accident.

What is next for Liz:

1. Restorative tooth work – repair teeth and bridges to allow her to eat well once the transplant is completed – this is not covered on her insurance - hopefully, tooth work can be completed in July-August 2022. We will meet with the dentist for a review of the treatment plan after the endodontist consult.

2. Transplant assessment progression - has been scheduled at University for July 9 for active waitlist status. Prayers appreciated. She is currently inactive waitlist at the UofM.

We need your help give her this chance and improve her quality of life while waiting. Liz needs hope.

These are her Transplant possibilities

— Kidney living donor (4 volunteers either did not match or did not qualify). If she can receive a living donor kidney transplant, the first transplant then uses an insulin pump for her pancreas. She will hope to get a rare pancreas (non-living) donor transplant. This would mean two surgeries and 2 donors but would allow her life without dialysis 3x a week, a better quality of life while waiting for a pancreas, and the ability to eat a more wholesome diet. She hopes for a matching living donor - she is a B+ blood type.

— Kidney/pancreas non-living donor – on an active wait list until a deceased donor becomes available.

We are grateful to each person reading this. This is hard and not normal for our family to ask for support. We appreciate even the smallest of donations to get us the needed care and pay for some of the incidental expenses we have already incurred. We hope in our journey we have continued to help others.

Jodee

Liz’s Mom