My name is Kirt(Kirt Stevens on Facebook). I am an Iraq/Afghanistan veteran. My war fighting days are long behind me now as I'm 48 years old. I'm proud to have served. I was a medic in the Army, and all my combat time came with 3rd Infantry Division.

I had open heart surgery in October. I've had complications since that procedure, and subsequently was recently added to the heart transplant registry to possibly receive a new heart.

In the course of my current treatment I'm now going to have to finance trips from my home in Tennessee to Richmond, VA once every 6 weeks while awaiting a new heart.

Each of these trips will cost me hundreds I'm guessing, in gas and hotels. For transparencies, Veterans Affairs will reimburse me some of the cost, but they don't give it to me beforehand. It usually takes 2 to 3 months to receive those funds AFTER making the trip. Each trip requires me to stay there for 3 days and 2 nights while undergoing daily treatments.

Having to come up with the money out-of-pocket upfront is something I simply can't finance currently, and the first of these trips for my life saving treatment is in a week from now, and as I mentioned, will be every 6 weeks going forward until I receive a new heart ❤️.

My current financial goal is to just make this first trip coming up. I figure I need $300-$500 by next Monday to make it happen. I'll worry about subsequent trips every 6 weeks.

I've sought help from Veterans Service Organizations like The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans posts with no success.

I've also sought assistance from churches and Social Services, but again, have not had any luck.

Any help I may receive would be eternally appreciated. I've never had to ask for help in my adult life. However, I now find myself in a desperate place.

Thank you, the reader, for taking the time to learn my story and situation. May God bless us, one and all.