Rick Smith's Life-Saving Liver Transplant

My name is Carla and I am friends with Rick and Sherry Smith. In 2018, Rick was diagnosed with fatty liver with non-alcoholic cirrhosis, stage 4 liver disease. At the time of his diagnosis, Rick was put in a “hold pattern” for a liver transplant at UNC Chapel Hill. Recently, Rick’s disease has progressed. He was sent to the emergency room at Forsyth Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC when his primary physician was concerned about his sodium levels. With this progression, Rick was airlifted from Forsyth to UNC Chapel Hill where he has been bumped from a hold position on the transplant list to an active position.

Rick is 61 years old, a United States Air Force Veteran, a father of two children and a proud grandfather. Rick’s wife, Sherry, is the primary caregiver for Rick. Rick has recently been approved for social security disability as he no longer can work. Once Rick receives the call that a donor has been found, Sherry and Rick will proceed to Chapel Hill for the 14-hour surgery. After a 10 to 14-day stay following the transplant, Sherry will need to be with Rick 24/7 for 6 weeks. Sherry will go on family leave, but as with most companies, that 90-day leave will be unpaid.

While Rick waits on the “call,” there are still biweekly appoints to Chapel Hill for labs, appointments, transplant team meetings, etc. With gas prices rising each day, this is just one of the expenses Rick and Sherry will incur.

We are setting up this page for Rick and Sherry to start covering expenses outside of their medical insurance. Not only will there be co-pays and percentages not covered by insurance, there is also the day-to-day living expenses that will be impacted by Sherry’s leave of absence from work.

Rick told me today - “I want to get to the other side of the ‘street.’ The other side of this transplant where I can start paying it forward.”

My family went through the transplant process in 2018 with my brother having a double lung transplant. I can speak from experience the astronomical strain on family finances that a lengthy life-altering illness and surgery create. Please reach into your heart (and pockets!) and help. Any amount is appreciated.

P.S. Please register to be an organ donor!¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

www.donatelife.net/register/