Our 57 year-old sister (aka “the Assistant”), fun-loving “Aunt Bunny”, girlfriend to Larry, niece, cousin, church missionary, volunteer, loyal and caring friend “Jules” to so many has always loved to sing. Throughout her life, Julie has sung in school musicals, church choirs, weddings, karaoke, and has been known to spontaneously burst into song. Sadly, the damage to her lungs from Scleroderma has stolen her singing voice, and we want to help Julie get it back.

Early signs of what was to come started in 2012 with red marks on Julie’s face. She was sent to a specialist who diagnosed telangiectasias (dilated capillaries) caused by “Limited Scleroderma” an extremely rare condition. Nothing could be done to alleviate the red marks, and life went on.

Fast forward to 2016, Julie rapidly lost 40 pounds and developed a severe dry cough that literally made her “see stars.” Julie was assigned a dedicated medical team at Northwestern Medicine who determined that the cough was a symptom of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) (irreparable scarring on her lungs caused by Scleroderma). Treatment included medications to manage symptoms, and regularly occurring heart & lung function tests.

In early 2018, Julie was hospitalized for over a week with pneumonia. The recovery was the first time Julie needed oxygen just to get around and work, and O2 was required for several months.

In 2020, when COVID really broke loose, Julie was held out of work due to the susceptibility of her lungs, but eventually returned to work under strict conditions. By Nov ’21 Julie required regular oxygen whenever exerting herself. In May 2022, a routine checkup found her lungs had significantly declined and she was told lung transplant surgery was likely ~2yrs away. However, by April ’23, a regular check-in showed her lungs had declined faster than expected. Julie now requires oxygen all the time and can no longer work. With no cure for Scleroderma/ILD and quickly deteriorating lung function, Julie’s doctors have advised she pursue a double lung transplant.

This August, Julie received hopeful news! Following an extensive battery of tests she has just been approved as a lung transplant candidate and will be placed on the waiting list this September. The transplant surgery will be intense, requiring a month long stay in the hospital, a need for temporary housing near Northwestern Memorial’s downtown campus for 4-6 months and at least a year of rehabilitation in the Chicago area. Julie’s fragile new lungs will also require as many as twenty prescription medications to prevent rejection. As a single person, sidelined from working, Julie’s transplant related expenses will be significant.

This is where you come in: Julie absolutely needs your well wishes & prayers to help make her transplant journey successful. In addition, if possible, a financial donation would help reduce her financial worry. All donations will be allocated toward prescriptions, temporary housing & parking near the hospital for rehab, and other surgery/recovery-related expenses. We ask that you not look at this as a handout, but as a help up as Julie gets used to her new lungs.

We deeply appreciate your support. We will continue to provide updates on her journey and are grateful for the family members, many friends, and friends of friends willing to help. On a positive “note”, with a successful lung transplant, the doctor said “Julie, you will sing again!!!!”

Love, David & Denice, Cathy & Bob, Ray & Dana