Bret’s New Lungs!

Hi friends and family! We (Alison, Chris, Brittny, Jessica & Bret Kyle) are raising funds for our Dad, Bret. He was diagnosed with IPF (Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis) about 3-1/2 years ago. IPF is a continual build-up of scar tissue in the lungs, making it difficult to absorb oxygen. It is a progressive disease and it is terminal. When he was diagnosed, it was devastating for our family, and for the first two years he was able to get around with his life, albeit slower. There aren't many answers as to the why or how, but his team of doctors at the University of Washington Medical Center are taking great care of him.

When the pandemic hit, he was advised to take every precaution to avoid contracting COVID-19, and he and Mom have been extremely diligent over the past two and a half years. They have done their best to keep living life and planning for the future, though at times it’s been extremely difficult. While hunkered down at home during COVID, he worked tirelessly to custom build out their ‘Retirement Van’, which is a work of art - Dads craftsmanship is unmatched. Check out their Instagram Page 'farleytravels' !

 About a year ago, his condition took a sudden turn and his daily life changed dramatically. His body requires supplemental oxygen to do all of the things you and I take for granted. They have been traveling back and forth to Seattle over the last few years for Dr. appointments at the UW and have been adjusting their lives to try and enjoy life with his current lungs for as long as possible. The time has come for Dad to be placed on the Lung Transplant List. After a lengthy battery of tests at the UW, the Transplant Board has approved him to be placed on the Transplant List.

As his caregivers, we have taken the required classes to be part of his caregiver team and we are ready for this to happen - we can't wait to have our Dad and Grandpa back! His team at UW truly believes that he will be living his fullest retired life with a new set of lungs – hopefully very soon. Dad had to retire early due to this and Mom is having to retire this fall as well to be his main caregiver.

While they have planned for retirement, there's no way to plan for an organ transplant. After meeting with the financial team at UWMC and with their current insurance provider, we have come up with a list of things that we know won't be covered by the insurance. The funds will be used to cover the substantial additional cost of health insurance coverage (as they no longer have job covered healthcare), housing post transplant (they will need to live in Seattle for a minimum of three months, post transplant), additional medications not covered by insurance as well as copious amounts of travel costs.

We know it is not in our parents nature to ask for help. They have worked tirelessly to provide for their family over the last 40 years. We are asking our friends, their friends, our family and all of you out there who have the means, to help them through the next few years to come out on the other side of this and continue to live a full life. We love and appreciate you all so much. We will continue to update you on this journey and watching Dad get his life back!

All our love,

Alison, Chris, Brittny, Jessica & Bret Kyle