Big wonderful update: Brian’s sister Heather has been approved to be his living donor. We are now waiting for a couple tests to be scheduled and completed and then the transplant can be scheduled. We are praying this can all be done and surgery scheduled in the next few months.

Please continue to share and donate if you can. We appreciate everything everyone has been doing to help during this time!

Brian hasn’t been well in the last year and we’ve now learned that he needs a liver transplant. Not only is this a stressful and anxiety provoking time for Brian and our family, but it will also have a significant financial impact for us.

Health update: Due to the liver failure, Brian is currently having large volumes of fluid removed from his abdomen every two weeks at a local hospital. He is also not able to absorb protein and has lost significant weight and muscle. He has also developed a hernia that will need surgical repair and is causing him discomfort. His energy is low but he’s still working full time for the State most days.

Financial burden: We are facing many financial hurdles in the next year when we will have to take numerous trips to NYC for treatment, testing, and hopefully the liver transplant surgery - as well as weekly follow up care. If Brian is able to have the liver transplant (the life saving treatment he needs) - it will mean several weeks in the hospital and numerous pre and post operative appointments in NYC. Some of his testing and follow up care can occur in the Albany area but all of the specialized care will need to be in Manhattan.

Our hope is that Brian’s Sister, Heather can be a living donor (part of her liver) and she has currently started the process of being evaluated for this.

While we are both state employees we will have lost wages as a result of all the travel and post operation care. Brian has short term disability but this is considered a pre-existing condition which means it won’t be covered and most state employees do not get paid family leave, including Kiera. There will be travel costs including hotels, gas, parking, or train tickets, meals - as well as copays and medications.

We are not those who usually ask for help and to be honest this is way outside of our comfort zone but there has been so much stress these last few months and the next year will be stressful and scary. We are hoping to ease a little of this stress by asking for help.

The support of our loved ones in the form of thoughts and prayers have meant so much to both of us. Please keep them going.

Thank you for considering financial support in any amount! Every little bit will make a difference!

Update - we want to send a HUGE thank you to those who have donated already and those who are considering a donation. We are completely blown away by the support so far.

Health update for Brian. We found out Friday afternoon that Brian has a clot in the portal vein, this is the main vein to the liver. He also has a large amount of fluid around the clot. The doctors will be meeting Wednesday morning to discuss the best way to treat this new issue.