Caroline’s Health Update & How YOU Can Support

Over the last four years, Caroline has been on an exhausting and complex medical journey. What began as symptoms that were repeatedly misunderstood and/or misdiagnosed has now led her to a very serious diagnosis — and a path toward healing that will require enormous strength, support, and prayer.

A Long Road to Answers

Across 4-years, Caroline has met with multiple specialists in Oncology, OBGYN, Gastroenterology, Hematology, Cardiology, has participated in a 90-day clinical study, and more. All throughout receiving different medical opinions, treatment plans, recommendations, and more. In early 2022, she received a devastating initial diagnosis from an oncologist, who stated that she had two large tumors “about the size of tennis balls and shaped like upside-down pinecones attached to her liver”. Fortunately, under a new physician’s care and more comprehensive testing and imaging, this diagnosis was ruled out. Thank God.

It has truly been a long journey, and at times an incredibly difficult one. We all know how difficult it is to keep positive when one’s brain has free rein to go anywhere it wants, especially a dark place. Yet through it all, she shows remarkable strength, focus, unwavering positivity, deep faith, and resilience — all lifted by the love and support of family and friends.

In August 2025, sensing that something was deeply wrong, Caroline insisted on being seen by her then Gastroenterologist. Her lab results revealed critically low red blood cell counts and other alarming markers. The complexity of her condition prompted an urgent referral to the VCU Hume-Lee Transplant Center, one of the nation’s most respected liver transplant programs.

The Turning Point

On September 22, 2025 Caroline met her now physician specialist and the expert transplant team at VCU. For the first time, she felt fully seen and supported by a group who listens, explains, and treats her case with the seriousness it deserves. Every specialist has played a role — medical, nutritional, psychological, and social — ensuring she was stable and prepared for what lay ahead.

She underwent extensive testing and imaging, pulmonary, laboratory and diagnostic testing, more CT and MRIs — tests that, in hindsight, should have been performed far more routinely over the past few years. Caroline has always been positive, determined with a “carpe diem” outlook. She reminds herself and loved ones daily that “Every day is a gift.” She wakes up at 5AM each morning to walk 3-4 miles, works at full capacity, loves hard on her family, prioritizes a healthy lifestyle, all while her mind and body remain under immense internal strain.

On September 22nd, she received the news: Caroline needs a liver transplant to live.

The Doctor reassured her that while this journey will be incredibly hard, liver transplants are performed successfully often. “Think of this as a safety net,” he said to her, forming his hands like a hammock. There is a path forward.

The Evaluation & Approval

Caroline moved quickly and highly resourcefully, coordinating a full slate of appointments across Virginia as soon as the medical team provided direction. She handled everything efficiently and completed her full transplant evaluation by November. Her medical team built her case and presented it to the VCU Transplant Board of Physicians. Just 55-minutes into their 4-hour meeting, Caroline's doctor reached out to her directly with GOOD NEWS, and said “CONGRATULATIONS!”.

On December 2nd, with insurance approval, she was officially placed and actively listed for a liver transplant. A mix of hope, relief, worry, and reality setting in. She continues to hope, pray, wish, worry all while working each moment to be patient, calm, and focused. She never takes her eye off the ball. Understanding that she can only control what she can control.

Understanding the Wait

Her placement on the list will depend on several factors:

The wait could be two days, two months, two years — there is no way to predict. When a deceased-DONOR match becomes available, she has no more than 4 hours to arrive for the operation, lasting 8-12 hours.

Living Donor Options - A Hopeful Path

Caroline is eligible for a living donor transplant, which has significant upsides. It shortens waiting time and greatly improves her chances of receiving a successful transplant. Donating a portion of your liver reduces the waiting time and saves the recipient from the immense stress of being on a waiting list. The recipient is often in the best health to undergo the transplant, which improves recovery time. Additionally, the organ from a living donor is often healthier than those donated after death.

Here’s the extraordinary part: The liver is the only organ in the human body capable of regenerating itself. Both Caroline’s transplanted portion and the donor’s remaining portion grow back to full size and full healthy function within weeks to a few months. Basic physical and daily activities can be presumed as soon as 1-2 weeks post transplant.

Important to Note:

Financial Strain

This GoFundMe was created to help ease the financial pressure during this scary and uncertain time. The medical costs are staggering:

How YOU Can Support Caroline

This season of waiting is incredibly difficult. There is no control over timing, only over preparation, communication, and prayer. Here’s how family, friends, and followers can HELP:

1. Keep Her in Your PRAYERS

PRAY for:

2. SHARE Her Story

The more eyes and ears this reaches, the higher the likelihood of connecting with a potential living donor or someone who knows someone who can help support.

3. SUPPORT & Encourage Her

USPS:

Caroline Denton Vanderhyde

113 W Washington Street

PO Box 122

Middleburg, VA 20117

UPS or FedEx: Send directly to Caroline and Jonathan’s home - text her if you need her address. Consider fresh food deliveries (no sodium, unprocessed, no preservatives).

Those who know Caroline have seen her live a life centered around caring for others. She shows up for her family and friends without hesitation, offering support, solutions, encouragement, and love whenever it’s needed. She embodies compassion, loyalty, creativity, resilience, and is the first to jump in when someone needs help — no matter how challenging the situation. She listens with empathy, gives thoughtful advice, and works tirelessly to accomplish goals, all while constantly putting others before herself.

Caroline truly has a heart of gold and is deserving of support in every possible way. One family member recently said it best:

“The most noticeable of your characteristics is that you seem to glow with love and goodwill toward others. I think back on our conversations and remember your wisdom, kindness, and clarity. You consider other people’s points of view and are so fair-minded. You are remarkable, Caroline. No wonder crowds all over the world break out in song about you!”

Let’s rally around her with the same generosity, strength, and love she has poured into all of us.

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for loving her through this unimaginable season. Your prayers and support are carrying her. Caroline is grateful, now and forever, for each and every one of you.

*** FYI regarding DONATIONS:

• The donation TOTAL shown includes several generous cash and check donations added as offline contributions.

• GoFundMe automatically adds a "suggested tip" during checkout. This tip goes to GoFundMe (not to Caroline) to help support their platform — but it is completely OPTIONAL. If you’d prefer to change it, simply select “OTHER” in the tip dropdown and enter $0 or any amount you choose.

THANK YOU for your continued support.