This plea for medical financial assistance for Jennifer "Jen" (nee Pluta) Hupp, my wife; mother of Faith Ward and Meghan Hupp; and Nana to her three adorable grandchildren, Aurora and Jaxson Ward; as well as recently born Steven Michael Floyd, Jr.. Jen loves, cherishes, and greatly treasures the memories created when spendng time with her family, friends and loved ones. Jen refers to her life as “JEN’S JOURNEY.” Despite any obstacles, speed bumps, detours, dead ends or road blocks she encounters as she travels/lives her life, SHE REFUSES TO GIVE UP OR STOP FIGHTING TO SURVIVE!! However, without the necessary life-saving pancreas and kidney transplants, she has a constant DEATH SENTENCE and an "END OF ROAD" sign hanging over her life/head!

Despite Jen‘s seemingly, never-ending tenacity, strength, determination, positivity and will to survive, without these transplants, she may no longer be alive to continue making such memories with those she loves.

Jen’s Journey tells the story of my wife‘s life-long struggles (physically, emotionally, financially) and her dire need for the kidney and pancreas transplants. Please read:

“JEN’S JOURNEY”.

Jen’s life has been riddled with an enormous amount of medicalal, physical, and financial hardships, most especially in the last 14 years. Jen’s mom died after a life-long battle with Type 1 Diabetes and Kidney Disease when Jen was five years old. In her late teens, Jen was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes; she accepted the challenges associated with it; vastly adjusted her lifestyle; lost weight and maintained a healthy weight without medications or insulin shots for well over 25 years.

However, in 2010 Jen’s medical, physical, mental, financial and emotional battles HIT WITH A VENGENCE! Her struggles and hardships snowballed, gained momentum and continue doing so with each passing day. In 2010, a diabetic-related infection resulted in the restructuring of her right foot and amputation of a toe. Later that year, she was declared legally blind, yet another diabetic-related issue. In 2014, Jen suffered another infection causing the amputation of the remaining four toes on her right foot. Jen’s mobility/stability became extremely compromised. In order for her to walk, Jen required costly, intense physical therapy, cane or walker and a leg brace for her right leg. In early 2018, Jen experienced extreme pain, weakness, tremors in her arms and legs, and dangerous falls which jeoprdized her safety. The only option to resolve this problem was a cervical fusion surgery on her spine. It took grueling, demanding and exhausting physical therapy and well over a year for her to recover from this surgery. This resulted in additional physical disabilities and medical expenses. In March of 2023, Jen learned she was in End-Stage Renal Failure due to her diabetic-related Chronic Kidney Disease. Jen endures dialysis treatments three days a week for four hours each day. THESE TREATMENTS ARE NECESSARY FOR HER TO SURVIVE!!

In August of 2024, Jen learned she is eligible for a kidney and and pancreas transplant. Her receiving such transplants would result in her no longer having Diabetes or Chronic Kidney

Disease. THIS LIFE-SAVING OPERATION WOULD BE LIFE CHANGING FOR JEN AND OUR FAMILY! Jen would no longer be a diabetic or have kidney disease ending the need to constantly monitor her blood glucose levels; administer daily insulin injections; endure weekly dialysis treatments or suffer extreme fatigue and pain. The transplants would do so much more than end those struggles for Jen. Her energy level and lifespan would greatly increase. She could participate in activities she hasn’t been able to do for many years. She could obtain gainful part-time employment, which would improve her emotional and mental wellbeing and help alleviate our financial restraints which are hindering the receipt of her transplants.

Our family has paid thousands of dollars for Jen’s medical care over the years. These expenses regularly depleted our savings. Jen has been unable to work and her disability benefits barely cover the monthly groceries. We are living on a very fixed income of Social Security and her disability. With my being Jen’s 73 year old husband and her primary caregiver, her medical needs and my own medical issues, my ability to obtain gainful part-time employment to help ease our financial obligations is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT!

Obviously, there are several financial obstacles in our path to providing Jen with a second chance at living. Our income is extremely limited and while our family assists us in other ways, they are unable to help us financially. We are seeking donations and/or financial assistance to help pay for the necessary expenses which will be incurred for Jen’s care before, during and after her transplant surgery. Some of the day-to-day expenses include:

--dialysis treatments three times every week;

--hospital bills in seemingly neverending amounts;

--intermitten physical and occupational therapttherapy;

--hotel accommods for Jen and her caregiver following the transpl while they are at IU Health in Indianapolis, Indiana. even with discounted hotel rates, this expense could exceed $5,000 for just the first month following her surgery. This does not include hotel stays for ma!datory future follow-up appointments with IU Health for the year following her transplans.--gas for trips to and from IU Health as well as during their stay in IU Health;

--an unpredictable amount, given fluctuating gas prices, for transportation to and from IU health;

--pain, anti-rejection and other medications to ensure Jen’s health and recovery from transplants;

--any other necessary expenses to help with Jen‘s day-to-day living expenses following her surgery.

We have set up this GOFUNDME page with the hopes you can assist us in reaching our goal of raising $20,000 to help cover the ttansplant-related expenses Jen needs. Donations or assistance from anyone and everyone who reads JEN’S JOURNEY would be greatly appreciated!! This will help our family persevere and allow Jen to receive the life-saving transplants she so vitally needs to survive. A second chance at living would improve Jen’s physical capabilities, emotional wellbeing, quality of life, and lengthen her lifespan. Such a change in Jen’s life would vastly enhance her family’s lives as well knowing Jen’s health will no longer be in jeopardy. .

OUR FAMILY IS NOT READY TO LOSE JEN, A 58 YEAR OLD WIFE, MOTHER, NANA, SISTER, AUNT, NIECE, COUSIN AND FRIEND, WITH SO MUCH LOVE, SPIRIT, STRENGTH, COURAGE AND POSITIVITY LEFT TO GIVE US AND THE REST OF THE WORLD!

Please share and post this GOFUNDME page/link with all your families, friends, loved ones, employers/employees, acquaintances religious communities, civic groups, vendors

and colleagues on all of your social media platforms (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X [formerly known as Twitter] WhatsApp, etc.)!!!

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

Sincerely and with grateful hearts,

Tom Hupp and family

PS-We will upate the GLFINDME page as new information becomes available. Thank you for following and reading, contributing to, and sharing/spreading JEN’S JOURNEY with others!

Jennifer "Jen" (nee Pluta) Hupp, a wife to Tom Hupp, mom of Meghan Hupp and Faith Ward, and Nana to two adorable grandbabies, Aurora and Jaxson Ward. Jen loves, cherishes, and greatly treasures the memories made when spendng time with her family and friends. Regardless of Jen’s tenacity, strength, determination and will to survive, without life-saving kidney and pancreas transplants, she may no longer be alive to make such memories. To understand Jen’s life-long struggles please read:

“JEN’S JOURNEY”.

Jen’s life has been riddled with an enormous amount of medical issues, physical, mental, financial and emotional hardships, most especially in the last 14 years. Jen’s mom died after a life-long battle with Type 1 Diabetes and Kidney Disease when Jen was five years old. In her late teens, Jen was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes; she accepted the challenges associated with it; vastly adjusted her lifestyle; lost weight and maintained a healthy weight without medications or insulin shots for well over 25 years.

However, in 2010 Jen’s medical, physical, mental, financial and emotional battles HIT WITH A VENGENCE! Her struggles and hardships snowballed, gained momentum and continue doing so with each passing day. In 2010, a diabetic-related infection resulted in the restructuring of her right foot and amputation of a toe. Later that year, she was declared legally blind, yet another diabetic-related issue. In 2014, Jen suffered another infection causing the amputation of the remaining four toes on her right foot. Jen’s mobility/stability became extremely compromised. In order for her to walk, Jen required costly, intense physical therapy, cane or walker and a leg brace for her right leg. In early 2018, Jen experienced extreme pain, weakness, tremors in her arms and legs, and dangerous falls which jeoprdized her safety. The only option to resolve this problem was a cervical fusion surgery on her spine. It took grueling, demanding and exhausting physical therapy and well over a year for her to recover from this surgery. This resulted in additional physical disabilities and medical expenses. In March of 2023, Jen learned she was in End-Stage