Help My Baby Sister Virginia Breathe Again — A Fight for Life and a Dream of the Mountains

 

Hello everyone,

My name is Sammie “Bodyguard” Smith, and I’m asking for your help for my baby sister, Virginia Smith, from Ocilla, Georgia. We come from a close-knit family of seven siblings, and Virginia has always been the quiet heart of us all, a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, full of warmth, humor, and faith.

 

In September 2023, Virginia was diagnosed with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) — a serious and incurable condition that causes scarring of the lungs, making it harder and harder for her to breathe. Over the past year, this disease has changed everything. Simple things — walking across a room, talking without gasping for air, have become difficult.

 

Her doctors have told us the words no family ever wants to hear: without a lung transplant, Virginia has 18 to 24 months to live. That’s why she has been placed in the care of the transplant team at Emory Hospital in Atlanta, who are preparing her for this life-saving surgery.

 

Virginia is just 60 years old, and she still has so much life and love left to give. She’s fighting with everything she has, holding onto faith, leaning on family, and believing that God isn’t done with her story yet.

 

She also has one simple wish on her bucket list: to visit the mountains, to sit on a porch, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy the peace of nature. She’s never been before, but she talks about it often. I’m praying we’ll make that happen.

 

We’re trying to raise $10,000 to help cover:

·      Travel and lodging for her transplant and recovery in Atlanta

·      Medical and rehabilitation expenses not covered by insurance

·      Post-transplant medications and follow-up care

·      Support for family members staying by her side during recovery

 

Every prayer, every dollar, and every share helps us get closer to giving Virginia the gift of breath, and more time with her family.

 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing with us during this fight.

 

With love and gratitude,

Sammie “Bodyguard” Smith

For my baby sister, Virginia Smith

“When you can’t breathe, nothing else matters. Let’s help her catch her breath again.”