John's Heart Transplant Expenses

On March 13, 2011, John Corfias, a 39 year old father of two suffered a massive heart attack and stroke.  This was a complete shock to all of his family and friends.  He was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and then air flighted to the Cleveland Clinic where the doctor's were not hopeful but were trying all they could to revive him.  They did and John was on life-support for three days.  On March 17, 2011, he was given an L-VAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device).  This device has kept the blood flowing through the heart valves and what has kept John with us for the last eight years. In that time John has been able to meet his first grandson and make countless memories with his loved ones. 

Knowing that the L-VAD was only a temporary solution and a bridge to a heart transplant, John has been on the Transplant List since April 17, 2013. John is Blood Type O Positive so that can make the wait for a heart a bit longer.  A Type O Positive blood /organ donor can donate to any other type of blood/organ recipient however, an O Positive can only receive a Type O heart.  Fearing that John was running out of time with the L-VAD, his family flew him to Florida to see if he could be put on the transplant list there . He was put on the list and received the call that he was getting a heart a few short months later on March 24, 2019. 

After several hectic hours John and his mother, Mary, got the last two seats on a flight from Cleveland, Ohio to Florida. John received his new heart the very next day on March 25, 2019.  It has been a bumpy and emotional road to recovery after receiving the new heart, but the family feels so blessed and grateful that their prayers have been answered. John is doing well and is ready to be released from the hospital. 

John and his mother and sole caretaker, Mary, must stay in Florida for up to a year following his transplant. John needs to return to the hospital weekly for biopsies, so they need to live in a location that is close to the hospital to meet John's needs. Unfortunately it is a very expensive area of Florida where John and Mary must live for up to a year. Relocating to another state, undergoing a heart transplant, and everything that goes along with it after only several hours notice has depleted almost all of the funds John's family had previously raised on hotels, transportation, and now more permanent housing.

 With so much ahead of them our hope is to raise $25,000 to cover the cost of John's medical expenses, including living expenses and anti-rejection medication in the coming months.  The need is urgent. John and Mary are on their own in an unfamiliar and expensive area while John continues to fight for his life with this new heart every day. They are in desperate need of donations to help them keep a place to live that is both affordable enough and still close enough to the hospital that they must visit weekly in Florida. 

Please consider making a donation to help John and Mary in their post transplant situation. They are depending on the support and prayers of friends, family, and strangers.