Stand with Melissa in Her Battle with IPF

Hello, my name is Adriana and I am fundraising on behalf of my mother, Melissa.

If you have known my family for any amount of time, you know that we have been battling my mom's diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis for the last ten years. IPF attacks the lungs and makes it progressively harder to breathe - currently, the only "cure" available is a lung transplant. When my mom was first diagnosed in April of 2014, we were told she had two years to live. Luckily we have had ten years with her, managing her condition with 24/7 oxygen, pulmonary rehabilitation exercise, and regular trips to the Cleveland Clinic to be monitored by a top of the line staff.

Over the past few months, my mom's condition has declined. She is now in the ICU at Cleveland Clinic with respiratory failure. She is hooked up to machines that oxygenate her blood and force air into her lungs. Because of these machines, she is unable to eat, drink or talk.

Unfortunately, this is the condition my mother will stay in until we are able to secure her a lung transplant. She is in the best possible hands at the Cleveland Clinic but we are now facing increasing medical bills while waiting, which will continue to increase after transplant as we get her back to full strength.

I am starting this GoFundMe in order to create financial support for my mom's hospital, nursing, and transportation bills. If you are able to donate, my family and I would greatly appreciate it.

If nothing else, I hope reading this makes you consider becoming an organ donor. People die everyday waiting on organ transplants that you could help, even after you're gone.

I appreciate your consideration and thank you for your support. -Adriana