Joses Second transplant & Photopheresis expenses

Hi, My name is Abby and my goal is to raise funds for Jose Navarrete. Jose is a Cystic Fibrosis fighter who has undergone so much in his 29 years of life. Jose has battled with cystic fibrosis since he was born. Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body. Jose's lung function decreased dramatically in 2018, and his team down at UCSD told him he would need a double lung transplant. His lung function decreased to 8%, and he was put on oxygen immediately. He got on the transplant list in 2018, and in April of 2019, he received the call for his new lungs. After Jose's surgery in 2019, he was given a second chance at life. The surgery went terrific, and Jose suffered no complications. Because of his heroic and brave angel donor, Jose has been able to spend the last three years off of oxygen, walk and run without needing to be in a wheelchair. He's been able to travel, work an amazing career in real estate and so many other things. His donor saved his life.

 

When Jose's team sat us down back in 2018, they said words that have been so true in the last two months. Transplant is not a cure, and you are trading one set of problems for another. One of Jose's biggest fear, is his current reality right now Rejection. There are three types of rejection, hyperacute, acute, and chronic.

 

Two months ago, Jose fell ill overnight. One day he was running and laughing outside with his family, and the next he became out of breath. Jose has declined rapidly. His lung function has decreased from 76% to 13%. He is now back on oxygen, and After two months in and out of the hospital, His team has diagnosed him with Chronic Lung Rejection.

 

I speak for myself and Jose, It feels as if our whole lives have been ripped from under us and turned upside down. Watching someone, you care about suffer and not be able to do anything about it is one of the absolute worst feelings in the world.

Last Friday, we were told he would need a second transplant, but we were also told that UCSD, the place where he first had his surgery, has denied the second transplant because it would be too risky. His team has reached out to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA to see if they will accept his case. His team has also reached out to the Photopheresis center at UCSD in San Diego to see if a treatment called Photopheresis can stop the damage that has been caused to his lungs because of the rejection. Photopheresis, also known as extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), is a medical treatment that removes blood via a machine and isolates white blood cells. We have been told that it may not work or it may work, but its worth a shot to stop the damage until he can receive a second double lung transplant. The photopheresis treatment requires Jose to spend two days a week down in San Diego consecutively, indefinitely, which means he would need to go down to San Diego every week, until he can receive new lungs once again.

During the last two months, Jose and I have not been able to work very much at all. We are still waiting on approval for photopheresis and are just trying to plan for the unknown future. If either team approves his second double lung transplant, Jose has already expressed he wants to be able to live and be with his family and get a third chance at life.

Any and all support is appreciated. Your support will cover gas, medical expenses, medication copays, USCD housing for myself while Jose is in the hospital, and much much more. Thank you for your time, consideration, and community.

May God bless you all.